belatedly

USAGE SUMMARY

"belatedly" is correct and usable in written English.
It means arriving or doing something late or tardy. For example, "He belatedly realized how important it was to have a balanced diet."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Andrew Lansley was belatedly shuffled away from the portfolio in 2012, but not before he had unleashed a gratuitous reorganisation, and written his marketopian plan on to the statute book.

The Guardian - Opinion

Only belatedly have the risks of a global pandemic been recognised.

The Guardian - Business

The internet is ideal for this, so much more effective than belatedly securing an insincere retraction at the bottom of page 16.

The Guardian

For those who looked closely at the SNP and Scottish Labour manifestos, however, beyond Trident the pledges and philosophy therein appeared virtually identical, Sturgeon having belatedly followed Labour's lead (rather than the other way round) on a mansion tax, bankers' bonus and abolition of non-dom status.

The Guardian

After six months of farcical misunderstandings, culminating in an unexpected funeral, Ken and Lorna belatedly realise that Oskar has taught them a thing or two about life, love and the cosmic amorality of an uncaring universe.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

That dispute was quietly settled this week on what are reasonable terms for the communications union (CWU): 6.9% over three years in return for (touch wood) belatedly embracing more reforms.

The Guardian - Opinion

Two weeks ago, I belatedly started reading Mammon's Kingdom, an extended essay about the modern British condition by the political philosopher and sometime MP David Marquand.

The Guardian - Opinion

The first major tournament he helped to win was at the Olympics in Finland in 1952, when the Hungarians belatedly came out from behind the iron curtain to show their skills.

The Guardian - Sport

In 2011, a Californian user had her apartment trashed, leading to Airbnb (perhaps belatedly) offering a host guarantee and a 24-hour customer service hotline.

The Guardian - Travel

The Liberal Democrats belatedly made an end to public sector pay restraint a "red line" for any negotiations on a renewed coalition, a move that may garner a few extra votes in their key marginals, but in most respects the cuts have been a dog that hasn't barked.

The Guardian

The carriages rattled with engine vibration and looked shoddy and cheap – evidence that northern England, which invented railway travel, has some of the worst rail infrastructure in Europe, now being put right only slowly and belatedly, despite all the talk of developing a "northern powerhouse".

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "belatedly" when you want to emphasize that something happened later than it should have, often implying a sense of regret or urgency.

Common error

Avoid using "belatedly" as a simple substitute for adverbs like "later" or "eventually" if the delay doesn't carry a specific implication of tardiness or regret. Using "belatedly" adds a layer of meaning that should be intentional.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "belatedly" is as an adverb, modifying verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to indicate that an action or realization occurred later than expected. Ludwig AI indicates its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

56%

Formal & Business

24%

Science

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "belatedly" is a grammatically sound adverb used to describe actions or realizations that occur later than expected, often implying a sense of regret or urgency. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage in various contexts. It is most commonly found in news and media, as well as formal business and scientific writing. When choosing "belatedly", consider the nuance it adds, ensuring it aligns with your intended message. Alternatives like "tardily" or "late" might be more appropriate if the sense of delay isn't central to your meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

tardily

Synonym, directly refers to something being done late.

late

More general term, indicating something happening after the expected time.

behind schedule

Indicates a delay in relation to a planned timeline.

with delay

Focuses on the presence of a delay in an action or event.

after a delay

Highlights that an action occurred following a period of lateness.

in retrospect

Focuses on understanding something with the benefit of hindsight, after the event.

eventually

Indicates that something happens at a later, unspecified time.

ultimately

Emphasizes the final outcome after a period of time or delay.

in due time

Suggests something will happen at the appropriate, though perhaps delayed, moment.

down the line

Indicates that something occurs at a later point in a process or timeline.

FAQs

How can I use "belatedly" in a sentence?

You can use "belatedly" to indicate that something is done or realized late. For example, "He "belatedly" sent a thank you note after realizing he'd forgotten."

What are some alternatives to saying "belatedly"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "tardily", "late", or "eventually". The best choice depends on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it ever incorrect to use "belatedly"?

While grammatically correct, using "belatedly" may be inappropriate if the context doesn't suggest a sense of delay or tardiness. In such cases, simpler adverbs of time might be more suitable.

What's the difference between "belatedly" and "eventually"?

"Eventually" simply indicates that something happens at some point in the future. "Belatedly", on the other hand, specifies that something happens later than it should have, often implying regret or a missed opportunity.