Belated: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Belated adjective. Coming or happening later than it should have done.
How to say it
bih-LAY-tid/bɪˈleɪtɪd/
3 syllables, stressed on the second (LAY). Forms: belatedly.
Belated in a sentence
Please accept this belated birthday card and my deepest shame.
The council apologised belatedly, three years after the flood.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- late
- overdue
- tardy
- delayed
Opposite:
- timely
- prompt
Where belated comes from
From the old verb belate, to make late, from be- and late.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
The council apologised _____, three years after the flood.
- vestigial
- postprandial
- belated
Show the answer
belated: The council apologised belatedly, three years after the flood.