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- DictionaryBetter late than never
- ▪ it is better to do something or arrive after the expected time than not do it or arrive at all
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BETTER LATE THAN NEVER definition: 1. said when you think that it is better for someone or something to be late than never to arrive…. Learn more.
better late than never. convention. If you say better late than never when someone has done something, you think they should have done it earlier. It's been a long time coming but better late than never. See full dictionary entry for late.
To arrive or do something later than expected isn’t good, but it is better than not at all. What's the origin of the phrase 'Better late than never'? This proverb is often expressed with a degree of sarcasm, apparently saying something positive but in fact merely remarking on someone’s lateness.
When you say “better late than never,” you’re actually saying a proverb that means it’s better to do something late than to not do it at all. It’s a reminder that it’s never too late to take action or make a change.
The delayed occurrence or achievement of something that one desires is better than it not happening at all. Often used to acknowledge (perhaps begrudgingly) that something has finally occurred. After two weeks, I finally got a return phone call from that company.
Being tardy is better than not at all, as in We've been waiting for you for an hour—but better late than never . This phrase, first recorded about 1200, appears in several early English proverb collections, often with the added but better never late .
You can use "Better late than never" to express the idea that it is preferable to do something or arrive somewhere late than not to do it at all. It emphasizes the importance of taking action, even if it's delayed.
