lately
- 01 B1 Intermediate
in the recent past, or many times in the last few weeks or months.
referring to the recent past or a duration starting in the recent past and continuing to the present.
Simple“I haven't seen much of Sarah lately because she is so busy at work.”
In context“Lately, there has been a significant shift in public opinion regarding the proposed environmental regulations, as evidenced by recent polling data.”
UsageCommonly used with the present perfect tense to describe a state or a repeated action.
PitfallI lately went to the cinema. I went to the cinema recently.Use 'lately' for repeated actions or states (present perfect). For a single finished action in the past, use 'recently'.
- 02 C2 Proficiency
in the past, but not anymore.
referring to a previous time or a former state; now largely replaced by 'formerly' or 'previously'.
Simple“The building, lately a warehouse, was converted into luxury apartments.”
In context“The estate, lately the property of the Crown, was deeded to the local council for the creation of a public park.”
UsageFound almost exclusively in historical texts or legal documents.
Synonyms
lately vs late — Late describes something happening after the expected time, while lately describes something that has happened recently.
“I’ve been diving deep into true crime lately.”
“Restaurant owner Kosol Homkhunthod said the American sailors had "created a buzz" in town and among his staff - business had been "really slow" lately.”
From Middle English lately, latly, equivalent to late + -ly. Compare Old English lætlīċe (“slowly, tardily”), Middle Low German lātlîk (“careless, slack, sloppy”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.