- comparative of late.
later
Americanadjective
adverb
-
a comparative of late.
The meeting ran later than we expected.
-
afterward, subsequently, or at a time in the future (sometimes followed byon ).
She later said she was sorry. I'll see you later. Let's decide about this later on.
adjective
adverb
-
afterwards; subsequently
-
an expression of farewell
-
eventually; inevitably
Etymology
Origin of later
First recorded before 900; lat(e) ( def. ) + -er 4 ( def. ) for the adjective; lat(e) ( def. ) + -er 5 ( def. ) for the adverb
Explanation
Later is a way to talk about time: some time after now. You can go to a movie later tonight. Later can also mean more recent, as in "Which is the later movie, Gone with the Wind or Citizen Kane?" It can mean toward the end: “He made that movie later in his career.” It can also mean after, as in "You were later than I thought you'd be!" It can also be used in comparison: "He was late; I was later." All these uses are about time, and how time keeps moving on from now to later.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He later added that the United States may “do some other thing that could lift it a little bit, but I don’t think it’s gonna lift it a lot at all.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026
Nearly three weeks later, audio of an emergency dispatch call to McConnell’s address in Washington, DC surfaced.
From Salon • Jul. 8, 2026
A year later, she was player of the tournament and leading run-scorer during England's 50-over World Cup win at home soil.
From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026
“Assuming they’re forever stamps, buy a lot. You can always use them later, not for wedding-related things,” another commenter added.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 8, 2026
“It’s gonna warm up later, but it’s chilly now. Go get ’em.”
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
