belated
Past the deadline
Belated means arriving or happening later than expected or appropriate.
A belated birthday card comes after the birthday has passed.
Belated congratulations acknowledge a delay in offering them.
The word often appears in apologies for tardiness: Sorry for the belated reply.
It suggests the thing itself wasn't late—only its arrival or recognition was.
Past expected arrival
deferred · behindhand · lagging · untimely · slow · elapsed · missed · protracted
Sorrow over past actions
- sorryExpressing regret or apology
- amendsCompensation for wrongdoing
- atonementCompensation for wrongdoing
- forgivenessReleasing resentment toward offenders
remorse · reconciliation · contrite · repentant · acknowledgment · admission · reparation · mea culpa
Annual date of origin
- wishesThings hoped for
- cardStiff paper rectangle
- anniversaryRecurring memorial date
- congratulationsExpression of praise for achievement
holiday · celebration · Christmas · Easter · condolences · thank-you · Valentine · wedding
Recognition after the fact
- retrospectionContemplating past events
- afterthoughtIdea added belatedly
- recognitionPerceiving something as known
- epiphanySudden profound insight
awakening · understanding · insight · reflection · reconsideration · reassessment · dawning · awareness
overdue
Past expected arrival
postponed · deferred · behindhand · lagging · untimely · slow · elapsed · missed · protracted · last-minute
regret
Sorrow over past actions
- sorryExpressing regret or apology
- amendsCompensation for wrongdoing
- atonementCompensation for wrongdoing
forgiveness · remorse · reconciliation · contrite · repentant · acknowledgment · admission · reparation · mea culpa · apologies
birthday
Annual date of origin
- wishesThings hoped for
- cardStiff paper rectangle
- anniversaryRecurring memorial date
congratulations · holiday · celebration · Christmas · Easter · condolences · thank-you · Valentine · wedding · graduation
hindsight
Recognition after the fact
- retrospectionContemplating past events
- afterthoughtIdea added belatedly
- recognitionPerceiving something as known
epiphany · awakening · understanding · insight · reflection · reconsideration · reassessment · dawning · awareness · clarity
- not on timetardy, delayed, overdue, unpunctual, behindhand
- thank-you notesgratitude, appreciation, card, stationery, signature
- timing problemsdelay, lag, timeout, missed deadline, poor timing
- time wordsminute, hour, day, now, soon
- delayeddelayed, postponed, deferred, suspended, on hold
- event adjectivesannual, scheduled, planned, recurring, upcoming