better late than never
/ˌbetə ˈleɪt ðən ˈnevə/NEUTRAL · B1
Meaning
doing something late is preferable to not doing it
Examples
- 1You finally replied to my invitation after a month; better late than never!
- 2Dad began learning to swim at sixty, saying better late than never.
- 3The birthday card arrived a week afterwards, but better late than never.
- 4You returned my umbrella after six months; still, better late than never!
- 5They finally repaired the library door after years of complaints; better late than never.
Grammar
A fixed saying. Keep the comparative better and the connector than; it can stand alone.
More idioms about time
All 20 idioms and the topic quiz →time fliesthe hours or years seem to pass surprisingly quicklyat the drop of a hatimmediately and with very little encouragementat the eleventh hourat the last possible moment before a deadlinearound the clockcontinuously throughout the day and nightagainst the clockhurrying to finish before a deadlineat the crack of dawnvery early in the morning as daylight begins
English Idioms400 idioms in 20 topics — with reviews that keep them from fading
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