lately

adverb

late·​ly ˈlāt-lē How to pronounce lately (audio)
Synonyms of latelynext
: of late : recently
has been friendlier lately

Synonyms of lately

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Examples of lately in a Sentence

He has been feeling better lately. Lately, she has been worrying about her son.
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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.
Sure, Goldman and the other top Wall Street banks were able to cash in on all the market volatility lately. — Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2026 The record’s grainy black-and-white cover shows her with her hair—usually scraped back in her trademark ponytail, or lately a bun, another kind of disguise—loose and scattered over her laughing face. — Aimee Cliff, Pitchfork, 31 July 2026 My favorite filmmaker lately is [Swedish director] Roy Andersson. — Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 31 July 2026 After a brief rough patch, Montgomery has ranked up his production at the plate lately. — Mike Barner, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for lately

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lately was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing lately

Rhymes for lately

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Browse Nearby Words

Late Latin
lately
late-magmatic
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Cite this Entry

“Lately.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lately. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

lately

adverb
late·​ly ˈlāt-lē How to pronounce lately (audio)
: not long ago

More from Merriam-Webster on lately

Nglish: Translation of lately for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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