Belatedly

Belatedly is an adverb that describes an action or event occurring later than the expected or appropriate time. It signifies a delay, often due to negligence, circumstance, or unforeseen obstacles, resulting in the act or event taking place after its due date or usual timeframe. It often implies regret or acknowledgement of tardiness. The word can describe anything from a late arrival to a tardy expression of sentiment. It subtly indicates that the opportunity or impact of the action might be diminished due to the delay.

Belatedly meaning with examples

• 1. The company belatedly released its financial report, after significant investor anxiety had built up due to the lack of information. The delay hurt their stock price. Several customers decided to switch companies, the tardy release costing the company both money and goodwill. Executives now had to answer investor’s questions about the delays.
• 2. She belatedly sent her condolences to her friend after learning of the loss of their loved one. While she was busy, and tried to find the right words, others sent their condolences, and she felt bad that her support was not there. She worried about the impact of the delayed message. She knew her friend would understand, but wished she had contacted them sooner.
• 3. The government belatedly acknowledged the impact of the environmental disaster on the local community, long after protests and pleas for aid had begun. The delay fueled frustration among residents, who felt the response was inadequate. The slow response brought bad press, and the government began sending aid after a delay of several months, trying to regain public trust.
• 4. He belatedly remembered his anniversary and rushed to buy his wife a gift. He apologized for his forgetfulness, and hoped he had not ruined the special day. She was not angry, but had planned a special night out, which he now was not able to do. Despite the delay, his wife appreciated the effort and forgave him for the tardiness.
• 5. The organization belatedly introduced accessibility features on their website after facing criticism for excluding disabled users. The delayed action came after they felt a major impact on their bottom line, and came only after a lengthy lawsuit was filed. They apologized to the community, promising to make sure that this would not happen again. The upgrade took several months, but finally arrived.