Better late than never

Meaning

"Better late than never" is an idiom that means it's better to do something late or after the expected time rather than not doing it at all. It suggests that even if someone has missed an opportunity, it's still better to act on it than to regret not having done so.

Usage

• "I was supposed to submit my project last week, but I couldn't finish it in time. Better late than never, right?"
• "My friend and I were supposed to go on a road trip together last summer, but we got busy with other things. It's better late than never, so we decided to reschedule for this weekend."
• "I was hesitant to try out running, but my friends convinced me to join them for a 5k race. I ended up having the best time, and it's better late than never to start something new!"
• "My grandparents didn't have a chance to visit their great-grandchildren until they were in their 80s. It was better late than never for them to finally meet their family members."
• "I missed out on the chance to go to my favorite band's concert last year, but I decided to buy tickets for this weekend. Better late than never!"

Roots and History

The exact origin of the idiom is unclear, but it has been in use since at least the 18th century. It has roots in Latin, where "postero" means "later" or "tomorrow," and "non" means "not." Therefore, the phrase "non postero" literally means "never later," which is the opposite of the idiom's meaning today. Over time, the idiom's meaning has shifted to something more positive, emphasizing the importance of taking action even if it's late.

Synonyms in English

• Better late than never can also be expressed as "better now than never."
• "Better late than never" is similar to "better late than never."
• "Better late than never" shares a similar meaning with "it's better late than never to try something new."

Synonyms in other languages

• In French, the idiom "mieux tard que jamais" has the same meaning as "better late than never."
• The Spanish idiom "mejor tarde que nunca" also means "better late than never."
• In Italian, the phrase "meglio tardi che mai" shares the same meaning as "better late than never."

Similar Idioms

• blind date

• mark my words

• right away