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.
The six-part series, called Better Later, is being filmed in locations including Bannau Brycheiniog, also known as the Brecon Beacons, and is set in the fictional Welsh village of Brynfach.
From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026
Later, that biological element was sort of reconfigured into something known as “disruptive technologies.”
From Salon • Jun. 15, 2026
Later this week, Kevin Warsh will be chairing his first Federal Reserve meeting, where the central bank is widely expected to keep interest rates on hold.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026
Later that evening, Anthropic shut off all access to Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models to comply with the administration’s rule.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 14, 2026
Later, just before lunch, when it was time for social studies, Mrs. Tracy clasped her hands together and looked around to get everyone’s attention.
From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott
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.
