lately

American  

[leyt-lee] / ˈleɪt li /

adverb

1. of late; recently; not long since.

   He has been very grouchy lately.

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lately British  

/ ˈleɪtlɪ /

adverb

1. in recent times; of late

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Etymology

Origin of lately

before 1000; Middle English latli; Old English lætlīce; see late, -ly

Explanation

Something that happened lately occurred very recently. If you've spotted a fox every day for the last week, you might say, "I've seen so many foxes lately!" If your friend says, "I've been really stressed out lately," she means she's been overworked and tense for the past few days, weeks, or possibly months. Lately is an adverb that covers the immediate past, a period of time that wasn't too long ago. A more old-fashioned way to say lately is "of late." Though this word has had its current meaning since the fifteenth century, it originally meant "slow or sluggish."

Example Sentences

"Are you tired from work and study lately? Don't push yourself too hard. Mum and Dad know that you have endured a lot."

From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026

There, on a crowded train during the evening rush hour, on the night of a Knicks game, I was surrounded by a nuisance I’ve been meeting all too often lately: backpacks.

From Salon • Jun. 13, 2026

Tech stocks in general have been hard hit lately amid renewed concerns over AI spending.

From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026

Used EV sales have been surging lately because of their value, with an average transaction price of around $36,000.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

Sorry I haven’t been the best at texting back lately.

From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day