leɪt ɪn ðə deɪ
Time
neutral
intermediate
- Literally:
- Occurring at a late hour of the day
What does "late in the day" mean?
- Too late to be effective or useful
- Coming at an advanced or final stage
Examples
- It's a bit late in the day to change the plan now.
- His apology came late in the day, after the damage was done.
- It's late in the day to be worrying about that.
Origin
From the reality that things done late in the day may come too late to matter—the day is almost over.
How to use it
Implies something should have been done earlier. Suggests the opportunity may have passed.
Similar expressions
too late
at the eleventh hour
belatedly
Opposites
early on
from the start
promptly
Related idioms
- in the long run
Over a long period of time
- better late than never
It's better to do something late than not to do it at all
- from time to time
occasionally, not regularly
- in the nick of time
Just in time; at the last possible moment
- run out of time
to have no more time left to do something
- time flies when you're having fun
Enjoyable moments seem to pass quickly
Use it in a practice answer
Try "late in the day" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.