1. plural of lateness; the quality or state of being late; instances of arriving or occurring after the expected or scheduled time
Usage: countable and uncountable uses; typically used in plural to refer to multiple instances or occurrences
2. the advanced or final stage of a period of time, such as the late hours of the day or night
Usage: less common; often used in literary or poetic contexts

Examples

• The teacher kept a record of all the latenesses throughout the semester.
• His repeated latenesses to work eventually led to disciplinary action.
• The bus driver apologized for the latenesses caused by heavy traffic.
• Several latenesses in a row can result in detention.
• The latenesses of the evening made the streets quieter and more peaceful.