later

1 of 2

adverb

lat·​er ˈlā-tər How to pronounce later (audio)
Synonyms of laternext
: at some time subsequent to a given time : subsequently, afterward
one week later
they later regretted the decision
—often used with on
experience that will be useful later on

-later

2 of 2

noun combining form

: worshipper
bibliolater

Synonyms of later

Relevance

Adverb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of later in a Sentence

Adverb I'll talk to you again later. They later regretted the decision. She returned several weeks later. I saw him again later that morning.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adverb
Like other Japanese companies, Honda is going on a summer break later this month. — ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026 James walked through the door that ruling opened three weeks later. — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026 Meghan’s page on the AI fashion platform OneOff later identified it as The Aura Sleeve by Logan Hollowell, a $2,875 piece designed to fit over the popular Oura ring. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026 The deadline for Miller to drop off the ballot is tomorrow; CNN will interview him later today. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for later

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

see late entry 1

Noun combining form

French -latre, from Late Latin -latres, from Greek -latrēs; akin to Greek latron pay

First Known Use

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of later was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing later

Rhymes for later

See All Rhymes for later

Browse Nearby Words

late of
later
-later
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Later.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/later. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on later

Nglish: Translation of later for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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