a fairly late

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a fairly late" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that occurs or is done relatively late in a timeframe or schedule. Example: "We had a fairly late dinner last night, around 9 PM."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

Isis is a fairly late actor.

The Guardian

One 11-year-old was told to 'get back' at a fairly late stage in the containment".

The Guardian

A spokesman for Alchemy said, "Certain significant matters arose at a fairly late stage which resulted in us not being able to reach agreement".

The New York Times

The other evening, at a fairly late hour, our friends, while strolling in the Park, unleashed their dogs so that they could romp about for a bit.

The New Yorker

The Stone Roses - 7/4 A fairly late addition to the rumour mill are The Stone Roses, who cooked up a frenzy after unexpectedly announcing a string of shows at Manchester's Etihad Stadium – the dates of which comfortably precede the weekend of Glastonbury.

Independent

There are a limited number of screen sizes, Apple's devices have sufficiently fast chips, iOS users are very timely about updating their system software and replacement cycles are such that most users possess a fairly late and great device.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

Here's Aisha Harris, writing in Slate, in a piece that has itself been shared 81 thousand times on Facebook: "Charles Ramsey has become the latest in a fairly recent trend of "hilarious" black neighbors, unwitting Internet celebrities whose appeal seems rooted in a "colorful" style that is always immediately recognizable as poor.

Independent

I didn't get it on release the PlayStation 2 exclusive launched in Japan in September 2006, came to the States a month later, and the UK in February 2007 because I only got a PS2 fairly late in its lifecycle, after the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 were doing the numbers.

Vice

After many appearances in films and in Broadway and Off Broadway plays, Mr. Redwood became a playwright fairly late in life because, he said, he could not find enough satisfying parts as a black actor.

The New York Times

The new, much-heralded PlayStation 4 exclusive from Californian studio Ready at Dawn will take up five to six hours of your time, assuming you repeat some of its cruel quick time event sequences (don't worry they play the same every time) or fall under the gunfire of enemy NPCs (there's a shootout in a burning warehouse, fairly late on, that left me floored a couple of times).

Vice

The new, much-heralded PlayStation 4 exclusive from Californian studio Ready at Dawn will take up five to six hours of your time, assuming you repeat some of its cruel quick time event sequences (don't worry – they play the same every time) or fall under the gunfire of enemy NPCs (there's a shootout in a burning warehouse, fairly late on, that left me floored a couple of times).

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a fairly late", ensure the context clearly establishes what is being referenced as a standard for comparison. For instance, "a fairly late response" implies there's an expected or typical response time.

Common error

Avoid using "a fairly late" without a clear reference point. Saying "the project finished a fairly late" is vague. Specify what "late" is relative to: "The project finished a fairly late relative to the initial deadline."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a fairly late" functions as an adjectival modifier, typically describing a noun related to time or timing. It softens the impact of "late" by adding the adverb "fairly", indicating something is somewhat delayed but not extremely so. Ludwig examples show it modifies "stage", "hour", and "addition".

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Science

27%

Encyclopedias

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

3%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a fairly late" is used to describe something that occurs or is done somewhat late, but not excessively so. According to Ludwig, it's grammatically correct and usable, although not very common. Its function is to soften the impact of "late", indicating a nuanced assessment of timing. While suitable for neutral registers, avoid it in highly formal or academic contexts. Ludwig's examples highlight its use in news and media contexts to qualify the degree of lateness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

relatively late

Emphasizes that the lateness is in relation to a specific reference point or standard.

quite late

Replaces "fairly" with "quite", intensifying the degree of lateness.

comparatively late

Replaces "fairly" with "comparatively", emphasizing a greater degree of lateness relative to something else.

very late

Uses "very" instead of "fairly" to strongly emphasize the lateness.

somewhat late

Substitutes "fairly" with "somewhat", indicating a slightly lesser degree of lateness.

reasonably late

Uses "reasonably" instead of "fairly", suggesting that the lateness is within acceptable limits.

sufficiently late

Indicates that the lateness is enough to achieve a certain purpose or meet a requirement.

towards the end

Avoids the word "late" by using the descriptive phrase "towards the end", focusing on the position within a timeframe.

at a later stage

Replaces "late" with "later stage", shifting the focus to a point in a process or development.

in the final stages

Describes an action that happens during the last part of something

FAQs

How can I use "a fairly late" in a sentence?

You can use "a fairly late" to describe something occurring near the end of a period or schedule. For example, "The decision came at "a comparatively late" stage of the negotiations".

What phrases are similar to "a fairly late"?

Similar phrases include "somewhat late", "relatively late", or "quite late". The best choice depends on the degree of emphasis you want to convey.

Is it better to say "a fairly late" or "a very late"?

"A very late" emphasizes a greater degree of lateness than "a fairly late". The choice depends on how strongly you want to express the lateness. Consider "The response was "a very late" given the urgency of the situation".

What's the difference between "a fairly late" and "late"?

"Late" simply indicates that something is behind schedule. "A fairly late" suggests it's somewhat behind, but not excessively so. The addition of "fairly" provides a degree of mitigation. For example: "The delivery was "late". However, it wasn't "a fairly late" arrival.".