[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/lately/)

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# lately

adverb

«lately» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Recently; in the time just before now: I have been tired lately. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lately/#m1)
2. (rare, old-fashioned) Not long ago; formerly: lately of London. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lately/#m2)

### In the lessons

Used in everyday talk about things that have been happening over the last days or weeks, usually with «have been» or «has»: «What have you been up to lately?». It tells the reader something is a recent pattern, not a single event. Phrases: just lately, of late (formal), lately I have noticed.

### Examples

- Have you seen Sam lately? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lately/#x1)
- It has been really rainy lately. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lately/#x2)
- Lately I have been reading lots of mystery books. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lately/#x3)
- My little brother has been grumpy lately. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lately/#x4)
- What have you been up to lately? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lately/#x5)
- The bus has been late a lot lately. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lately/#x6)
- Prices have gone up lately. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lately/#x7)
- Just lately, the cat has started sleeping on my bed. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lately/#x8)
- By the way, what sort of weather have you been having lately?" [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lately/#x9)

### Note

Usually used with the present perfect («have been», «has gone»), not with a single past moment: say «I saw her recently», not «I saw her lately». Do not confuse with «late» (after the right time) or «later» (after this time). «Lately» does NOT mean «in a late way».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «lately» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lately/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«lately» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/lately.html) on Mova free.