もはや

もはや is a literary adverb meaning "already," "by now," or (no longer / not anymore) when used with negative predicates. It conveys the sense that a situation has reached a point of no return – things have changed so fundamentally that a previous state no longer holds. It carries a strong tone of finality or inevitability.

With negative predicates – "no longer / not anymore"

The most common usage of もはや is with negative endings to express that something is no longer the case. This is the pattern learners encounter most frequently.

In these sentences, もはや emphasizes that a threshold has been crossed and the previous state has become impossible or irrelevant.

With affirmative predicates – "already / by now"

Less commonly, もはや appears with affirmative predicates to stress that a situation has already become a certain way – often implying surprise or resignation at how far things have progressed.

Nuances and usage notes

• もはや belongs to written and formal language. It appears frequently in news articles, essays, literature, and formal speeches. In everyday casual conversation, もう is the natural equivalent.
• Compared to もう, もはや adds a dramatic, decisive, or literary tone. While
  もうおそい遅い。

  It's already late.
  is neutral,
  もはやておくれ手遅れだ。

  It is already too late (beyond saving).
  conveys a weightier sense of finality.
• もはや often co-occurs with expressions of impossibility or limit, such as 〜～ない, 〜～できない, 〜～ようがない, and 〜～しかない.