a day late and a dollar short

adjective

Too late and too feeble to achieve the desired effect.

“Help arrived a day late and a dollar short.”

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Meanings

adjective

alternative day late, dollar short

  1. USidiomaticpredicativeToo late and too feeble to achieve the desired effect.

    His apology was a day late and a dollar short.

adverb

alternative day late, dollar short

  1. USidiomaticAdverbial use of the adjectival form.

    Help arrived a day late and a dollar short.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
day late, dollar short

Translations

Czech s křížkem po funuse
  • s křížkem po funuseadverbial use of the adjectival form
Italian troppo poco, troppo tardi
  • troppo poco, troppo tardiadverbial use of the adjectival form
Polish rychło w czas
  • rychło w czasadverbial use of the adjectival form
Cite this entry
APA

a day late and a dollar short. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/a%20day%20late%20and%20a%20dollar%20short

MLA

“a day late and a dollar short.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/a%20day%20late%20and%20a%20dollar%20short. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “a day late and a dollar short,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/a%20day%20late%20and%20a%20dollar%20short.

Source: a day late and a dollar short on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.