Latecomer: meaning, definitions and examples

general situations where someone arrives later than expected

• She was a latecomer to the meeting and had missed the first presentation.
• There were a few latecomers to the concert.

informal situations, often implies a negative habit of being late

• He is always a tardy person, never making it on time to any event.
• The teacher sighed when yet another tardy person walked into the classroom.

formal or literary situations, often implies a habit of being late or a sense of responsibility

• The behindhand individual struggled to keep up with his deadlines.
• In the office, he was known as a behindhand individual, frequently lagging behind on his tasks.

situations emphasizing a reason for being late, often external factors

• The delayed arrival was due to heavy traffic.
• We waited for the delayed arrival of the flight which had been postponed by several hours.