lately
Americanadverb
adverb
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Outside of music, what are some things that have been keeping you grounded and excited lately?
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
Elon Musk, the world's richest man, has not been winning in court lately.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
The company has had a string of quarterly losses lately.
From Barron's • May 14, 2026
“I just don’t think they’ve been turning to ARKK” lately, he said, referring to the ticker for the ARK Innovation ETF.
From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026
Baba wore only his mask when he ventured behind the fence, even though lately it seemed like the decoys didn’t fool the tigers anymore.
From "Tiger Boy" by Mitali Perkins
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.
