late

late — adjective

1. happening or existing closer to the finish of a day, season, era, or stage of li

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

happening or existing closer to the finish of a day, season, era, or stage of life than to its start.

Example

We went for a long walk in the late afternoon sunshine.

collocation: late afternoon / late spring / late 19th century

Ritu's grandfather learned to paint landscapes in his late seventies.

Common collocations
  • late afternoon
  • late spring
  • late August
  • late 19th century
  • late Victorian
  • late eighties
  • late seventies
Synonyms
  • latter

    refers specifically to the second half of a two-part period; 'late' is more general

  • advanced

    more formal; used especially for age or stage of development

Antonyms
  • early

    the opposite end of a time period

Grammar Patterns

late + [time period noun]

2. arriving or taking place after the moment that was agreed, scheduled, or conside

2.adjectiveA1
Definition

arriving or taking place after the moment that was agreed, scheduled, or considered normal.

Example

The train arrived twenty minutes late because of the heavy snow.

pattern: [time quantity] + late

Naoko sent a quick apology for being late to the team meeting.

collocation: late to + [event] / late for + [event]

Common collocations
  • late for work
  • late for school
  • late train
  • late flight
  • late payment
  • late fee
  • late arrival
  • late delivery
Synonyms
  • tardy

    more formal; common in school settings in US English

  • overdue

    for something expected by a deadline, such as a payment or library book

  • delayed

    focuses on the cause of lateness rather than the person's responsibility

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

[quantity] + late

late for + [event]

Usage Note

Time measurements come immediately before 'late' — 'ten minutes late,' 'an hour late.' Do not insert 'for' between the time and 'late': ❌ 'I was late for ten minutes' ✅ 'I was ten minutes late.'

Common Mistakes

I was late for ten minutes to the meeting.
I was ten minutes late for the meeting.
A time expression must come directly before 'late,' not after it.

3. relating to a football tackle that reaches the opponent once the ball is already

3.adjectiveC1
Definition

relating to a football tackle that reaches the opponent once the ball is already gone, making contact with the player instead of the ball.

Example

The referee showed a yellow card for the late tackle on Lucía.

football term: late tackle

Tendai's late tackle on the striker earned him a warning from the coach.

Common collocations
  • late tackle
  • late challenge

Grammar Patterns

late + tackle

Usage Note

This sense is used only in football (soccer), always before the noun 'tackle.' Common in British sports commentary but rare in everyday conversation.

4. placed before a person's name or title to show that they are no longer alive, of

4.adjectiveB1
Definition

placed before a person's name or title to show that they are no longer alive, often used when speaking with respect.

Example

The late Mr. Chen taught history at our school for over thirty years.

pattern: the late + [name] for a deceased person

A scholarship fund was created in honor of the late Dr. Okafor.

Common collocations
  • the late Mr.
  • the late Mrs.
  • the late Dr.
  • her late husband
  • his late wife
  • their late father
  • the late mayor
  • the late president
Synonyms
  • deceased

    more formal and clinical; used in official documents

  • departed

    euphemistic and somewhat poetic; less common in everyday speech

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

the late + [name/title]

Usage Note

Always used before a noun or name (attributive position). Never used after a linking verb — ❌ 'My uncle is late' ✅ 'My late uncle was a doctor.' Typically respectful; use with people only, not animals or objects.

Common Mistakes

His father is late and he misses him a lot.
His late father was a kind man who he misses a lot.
'Late' meaning 'deceased' must come before a noun, never after a verb.
Idioms

better late than never

idiom

used to say that it is better for something to happen after the planned time than not at all.

Roya finally apologized for the argument, and her brother said, "Better late than never."

The government passed the environmental law after ten years of delay — better late than never.

of late

idiom

in the recent period of time; lately.

Eli has been working very long hours of late to finish the project.

Of late, the neighborhood has become much quieter since the new park opened.

late in the day

idiom

too late to be useful or to make a difference in a situation.

It is a bit late in the day to cancel the wedding when the guests have already arrived.

The company offered to fix the problem, but it was late in the day and most customers had left.

be too late

idiom

Happening after the time when something could still be done.

Mia realized it was too late to catch the bus.

Is it too late to change my order?

late — adverb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/2

All four alternatives describe something happening after the expected time, but they differ in nuance and context. 'Tardy' is more formal than 'late' and is used mainly in US schools ('a tardy student') or official contexts. 'Overdue' applies to something that should have happened or been returned by a deadline — library books, bills, or a baby that has not been born yet. 'Delayed' focuses on an external cause holding things up; it carries no sense of personal fault ('the flight was delayed by fog'). 'Behind schedule' is neutral and factual, often used for projects, construction, or transport. For everyday personal lateness, 'late' remains the most natural choice: 'I was ten minutes late for dinner.'

tardyoverdue ↗delayedbehind schedule

Common collocations

Nouns

  • late arrival
  • late payment
  • late fee
  • late night
  • late bloomer
  • late shift

Adverbs

  • running late
  • arriving late
  • staying up late
  • working late

Phrases

Prepositions

  • late for
  • late in
  • late at

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'late' comes from Old English 'læt,' meaning 'slow, sluggish,' which itself goes back to the Proto-Germanic root '*lata-.' In Old English it already carried the sense of 'occurring after the expected time.' By the 15th century, the meaning 'recently deceased' appeared — it grew out of the adverb sense 'not long ago' (still seen in 'as late as'), applied to someone who had died only recently.