slightly later than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "slightly later than" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate a time that is a bit delayed compared to another reference point. Example: "The meeting will start slightly later than the scheduled time due to unforeseen circumstances."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Another candidate is V3, which is located lateral to V1, becomes active slightly later than V1 and is also less sensitive to spatial frequencies than V1 [ 15].

BMC Ophthalmology

"These sort of things will be happening slightly later than expected," she said.

The Guardian - Money

Iakovos Protopsaltes, who worked slightly later than Petros, sounded more adventurously ornamental.

The New York Times - Arts

About 60 inscriptions from Norway date from the 5th to the 8th century, slightly later than the continental ones.

Encyclopedia Britannica

So why would anyone get up any earlier than they need to, or - ideally - slightly later than that?

The Guardian - Money

He has put Dewey's ninth graders on staggered schedules, starting and ending slightly later than the rest of the student body.

The New York Times

Industry forecasts suggest the previous annual production record of 1.9m cars, set in 1972, would be broken within four years, slightly later than previously expected.

The Guardian - Business

(This suggests it could be slightly later than Easter, the deadline set by Dilnot himself, Age UK and the Care and Support Alliance).

The Guardian

Toren was not exempt from price cuts, he said, but did well by entering the market slightly later than its neighbors, with prices set accordingly.

The New York Times

O'Grady returned with his Channel 4 chatshow, slightly later than scheduled following his second heart attack in June, and yesterday pulled in 2.5 million viewers and a 21% audience share between 5pm and 6pm, according to unofficial overnights.

The Guardian

Meanwhile down in Houston, the Dynamo will be trying to show they're on their (slightly later than usual) scheduled late-season run against a Montreal side equally determined to show they aren't collapsing down the stretch.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "slightly later than", ensure the comparison point is clearly defined for clarity. For example, "The second edition was released slightly later than the first edition."

Common error

Avoid using "slightly later than" when the delay is significant. If the difference in time is substantial, use phrases like "much later than" or "significantly later than" to accurately represent the duration.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "slightly later than" functions as a comparative adverbial phrase, modifying verbs or clauses by indicating a minor temporal delay in relation to another point in time. Ludwig examples show its usage in diverse contexts, and confirms the statement.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

43%

Wiki

4%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Formal & Business

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "slightly later than" is a versatile comparative phrase that indicates a minor temporal delay. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically sound and sees widespread use across diverse contexts, including Science, News & Media, and general writing. When employing the phrase, ensure that the point of comparison is clear, and avoid overstating the delay. Alternatives such as "a bit later than" or "somewhat later than" can offer more concise options. By following these guidelines, you can effectively use "slightly later than" to provide clarity and context when describing temporal relationships.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a bit later than

Uses a simpler phrase to convey the same meaning.

somewhat later than

Employs a different adverb to indicate a degree of delay.

marginally later than

Indicates a very small difference in time.

just after

Focuses on the sequence of events rather than the duration of delay.

soon after

Specifies that it happens quickly after.

shortly thereafter

A more formal way of saying "soon after".

following closely behind

Emphasizes the proximity in time between two events.

subsequent to

A formal term denoting the time that comes after something.

posterior to

More technically indicates it happens after.

at a later juncture than

A formal phrase indicating a point in time afterward.

FAQs

How can I use "slightly later than" in a sentence?

You can use "slightly later than" to indicate a minimal delay between two events or points in time. For example, "The project was completed "slightly later than" the original deadline".

What's a simple alternative to "slightly later than"?

A simple alternative is "a bit later than". It conveys the same meaning in a more concise way. For example, instead of "The meeting started "slightly later than" scheduled", you could say "The meeting started "a bit later than" scheduled".

How does "slightly later than" differ from "much later than"?

"Slightly later than" indicates a small difference in time, whereas "much later than" implies a significant delay. The choice depends on the magnitude of the time difference you want to express.

Is it correct to say "slightly later than expected"?

Yes, it's perfectly correct. This phrasing is used to indicate that something happened or will happen with a minimal delay compared to what was anticipated. For instance, "The product launch is scheduled "slightly later than" expected".