long time late

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "long time late" is not correct and not commonly used in written English.
It may be intended to express that something is overdue or delayed for a significant period, but it is not a standard expression. Example: "The report was submitted a long time late, causing issues for the project timeline."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

For me the Times is a dollar short and a long time late.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

This is especially significant because for a long time, late-night shows been extraordinarily homogeneous both behind and in front of the camera.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

The company hosted a number of well-known webcasts including, for a long time, the late GeekBrief.tv.

TechCrunch

Some early states, notably Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada enjoyed their moment in the political sun, but this year, for the first time in a very long time, the late states, such as North Carolina, Indiana and Pennsylvania also were very important.

Huffington Post

For a long time, in the late 90s and 00s, he'd been an Austin Powers.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

For a long time, until my late 20s, I felt the romance of Greece.

The Guardian

A long, long time ago (the late 90's) in a middle school far, far away (Connecticut) twins Robert and James Dastoli were just two youngsters with Microsoft Paintbrush on Windows 3.1, a bona fide sci-fi obsession, and a whole lot of time.

Vice

And when people do try to shift to an earlier bedtime after such a long time staying up late: "It's hard for some people to lay down when they aren't feeling tired so they stay awake doing something until they can't hold their eyes open any longer," Kuhlmann continues.

Huffington Post

The perceptibility of environmental risk in standard epidemiological methods is rather narrow, due to long time lags for late effects and multiple interactions that are often difficult to investigate.

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

A long time ago, the latest O.

The New Yorker

One publisher said: "You've been working with an author for a long time, but the latest book is weak.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of using the uncommon and potentially confusing phrase "long time late", opt for clearer alternatives such as "long overdue" or "considerably delayed" to ensure your message is easily understood.

Common error

Avoid placing "long time" directly before "late" as it doesn't form a standard idiomatic expression. Instead, use phrases where "long" modifies "overdue" or other similar adjectives.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "long time late" is not a standard idiomatic expression in English. Ludwig AI indicates that it is grammatically incorrect. The intended function is typically to describe something as being significantly delayed or overdue.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "long time late" is not considered a standard or grammatically correct English expression. Ludwig AI identifies it as incorrect, and its usage is infrequent. While the intended meaning is to convey a significant delay, it is better to use more established phrases like "long overdue" or "considerably delayed" for clarity and correctness. Its primary context appears in News & Media, though sparingly. It's best to avoid "long time late" in formal or professional communication to ensure your message is well-received.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

long overdue

Emphasizes that something should have happened or been done a while ago.

considerably delayed

Highlights the significant extent of the delay.

tardy by a significant margin

Stresses the amount of time by which something is late.

belated by a considerable period

Emphasizes lateness with a formal tone.

much too late

Highlights that the lateness has significant consequences.

extremely late

Simple intensifier of lateness.

seriously delayed

Conveys the severity of the delay.

way behind schedule

Indicates failure to meet a timeline or deadline.

long in coming

Highlights that something took more time to arrive or happen than expected.

very tardy

Simple substitute using a more formal word for late.

FAQs

What does "long time late" mean?

The phrase "long time late" is not a standard English expression. It may be intended to convey that something is overdue or delayed for a significant period, but it is not commonly used. It is more appropriate to use phrases such as "long overdue" or "considerably delayed".

What are some alternatives to "long time late"?

Instead of "long time late", consider using alternatives such as "long overdue", "considerably delayed", or "much too late" depending on the specific context you want to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to say "long time late"?

No, "long time late" is not grammatically correct or commonly used in standard English. It's better to use established phrases such as "very late" or "long overdue" to express that something is significantly delayed.

How can I use "long overdue" instead of "long time late" in a sentence?

Instead of saying "The report was submitted a "long time late"," you can say "The report was "long overdue", causing issues for the project timeline." This alternative is clearer and grammatically correct.