late 1 of 2

1
2
as in former
having been such at some previous time the late musical director said he would never have allowed such behavior while he was in charge

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4

late

2 of 2

adverb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective late contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of late are dead, deceased, defunct, and departed. While all these words mean "devoid of life," late is used especially with reference to a person in a specific relation or status.

the company's late president

In what contexts can dead take the place of late?

In some situations, the words dead and late are roughly equivalent. However, dead applies literally to what is deprived of vital force but is used figuratively of anything that has lost any attribute (such as energy, activity, radiance) suggesting life.

a dead, listless performance

How is deceased related to other words for late?

Deceased, departed, and late apply to persons who have died recently. Deceased is the preferred term in legal use.

the estate of the deceased

When is defunct a more appropriate choice than late?

The synonyms defunct and late are sometimes interchangeable, but defunct stresses cessation of active existence or operation.

a defunct television series

When could departed be used to replace late?

Although the words departed and late have much in common, departed is used usually as a euphemism.

our departed sister

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of late
Adjective
Kurosawa will attend the New York premiere of his latest thriller Cloud as well as a screening of Serpent’s Path, his 2024 French-language remake of his own 1998 V-Cinema title. Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2025 In its latest quarterly earnings report, Apple’s revenue exceeded Wall Street expectations, including sales of its iPhone, which ticked up 2% compared to the same period a year earlier. Max Zahn, ABC News, 9 June 2025
Adverb
Topline The most southerly full moon for 19 years — the strawberry moon — rose late at night into twilight skies on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025 After all, who can blame students (especially the older ones) for wanting to sleep late, play more video games and check in a few times a week to pick up their missing assignments. Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for late
Recent Examples of Synonyms for late
Adjective
  • James Young, 53, a former Drug Enforcement Administration agent in Los Angeles, faces up to 29 years in prison after prosecutors amended a criminal complaint to include several counts like assault with a firearm, assault with a deadly weapon and causing a hit-and-run accident.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 June 2025
  • Also on the Ringling grounds is their ornate former home (some might say palace), Ca’ d ‘Zan, a Venetian-style home that sits at the lapping shores of Sarasota Bay.
    Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 8 June 2025
Adjective
  • The kidney also stays outside the body for less time due to advanced planning.
    Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2025
  • In some areas, this might work: Restricting the export of advanced U.S. semiconductor technology to China seems to have helped hold Beijing’s chip industry back.
    Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 14 June 2025
Adverb
  • This man was an Army paratrooper who was later killed on Omaha Beach and never met his child.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2025
  • This happened at around 2:00 a.m. Around 2.5 hours later, during a precautionary safety check at Representative Hortman's home, officers spotted the suspect walking out the front door.
    / CBS News, CBS News, 15 June 2025
Adverb
  • Yes, the Chicago Cubs are having a heck of a time scoring runs lately.
    Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2025
  • This thought has come to mind a lot lately, as much has been made of the political wranglings of Earth’s richest technocrats, whose ambitions range from lower taxes to interplanetary colonization.
    Alex Morris, Rolling Stone, 15 June 2025
Adjective
  • Scrambling to recall a few staff and issue some belated funding is just window dressing.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Please accept our belated apology.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 25 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Sculpting a modern tale about a porcelain company that’s 250 years old has a lot to do with understanding how younger generations come together, dine and entertain.
    Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 17 June 2025
  • International students make up about 27% of the student body at the nation’s oldest and wealthiest university.
    Andy Rose, CNN Money, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • Emergency responders performed life-saving measures before he was pronounced dead, Allard said.
    Staff report, Hartford Courant, 7 June 2025
  • The female passenger — who has not been identified by the Placer County Sheriff’s Office coroner division — was pronounced dead at the scene.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2025
Adverb
  • Their only awareness of the incident came through people knocking on their door asking for interviews and eventually the FBI sharing what had happened.
    Alexandra Koch , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 8 June 2025
  • Jobs The labor market is the most crucial part of the economy since consumer spending eventually wanes without wages to fund the purchases.
    Bill Stone, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025

Cite this Entry

“Late.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/late. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on late

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!