Late
Late adjective - Having been such at some previous time.
Usage example: the late musical director said he would never have allowed such behavior while he was in charge
Once is a synonym for late in dead topic. In some cases you can use "Once" instead the word "Late" as an adjective or an adverb, when it comes to topics like bygone, precede. popular alternative
Once
Once adjective - Having been such at some previous time.
Usage example: the once child star is now a lawyer in the entertainment industry
Mutual synonyms
Both words in one sentence
- Once Lenin was dead and Stalin's political rivals realized what they'd done, it was too late — Stalin had a power-base that they lacked.
Source: Kicked Upstairs - It's too late to repent your sins and accept the love of Jesus or God into your heart once you're dead.
Source: Rejected Apology - Rene Balcer assumed the role of showrunner for the original Law & Order twice: once in the late '90s, and again in the late noughties.
Source: Showrunner
Cite this Source
Once and Late. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 16, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/late/once
Late & Once. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/late/once>.
Once or Late. 2016. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/late/once.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "late" and "once" have occurred on timeline