Belate
/bɪˈleɪt/
verbB2
Definition
To belate is to be late or to cause something to be late. It means arriving after the time that was planned or expected. It can be used for people, events, or actions that do not happen on time.
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See It in Action
To arrive after the expected time
- •She belated her appointment by ten minutes.
- •The train belated due to heavy rain.
- •Don't belate to the meeting or you will miss important information.
To happen later than planned (less common)
- •The festival belated because of bad weather.
- •His arrival belated the start of the ceremony.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "belate" like "late," but it is a verb that means the action of being late or causing lateness
- ✓Picture someone arriving at a meeting after the clock shows the start time has passed
- ✓It's the feeling when you miss the bus because you arrived at the stop too late
- ✓Sounds like "be-LATE" → imagine someone saying "be late" quickly as one word
- ✓Imagine a story where a character misses an important event because they belatedly arrive
- ✓NOT like "delay" (which means to make something happen later by choice or cause), "belate" focuses on arriving late, often naturally or accidentally
- ✓NOT like "postpone" (which means to change the time to later), "belate" means arriving after the planned time without changing the plan
Try Other Words
- •Delay: to make something happen later (Use when someone or something causes the lateness intentionally or by action)
- •Arrive late: to come after the expected time (Use in everyday speech for people or things)
- •Be late: to not be on time (Use for general situations of lateness)
Unboxing
- •Prefix: "be-" (a common English prefix that can mean "to make" or "to cause")
- •Root: "late" (meaning after the expected time)
- •Etymology: Comes from Middle English, combining "be-" + "late" to form a verb meaning to be late or to cause lateness
- •Historical development: Used since the 1500s in English, but now rare and mostly replaced by phrases like "be late" or "arrive late"
- •Modern usage: Very uncommon today, mostly found in old books or formal writing
Reflect & Connect
•How would you feel if you belated an important event? How would you explain your lateness?
•Can belating sometimes be helpful, or is it always a problem? When might being late be acceptable?
Fill in the blanks
1.She belated the meeting because her car broke down ___ the highway.
2.The guests belated ___ the start of the party, so they missed the welcome speech.
3.Unlike "delay," to belate means to ___ late rather than cause lateness.
4.If you belate to class often, your teacher might ___ you for being late.
5.The train belated due to ___ weather conditions.
6.He tried not to belate ___ the important interview, so he left early.
7.When someone belates, it usually means they arrived ___ the planned time.