coincide

verb

co·​in·​cide ˌkō-ən-ˈsīd  ˈkō-ən-ˌsīd 

coincided; coinciding

intransitive verb

1

a

: to occupy the same place in space or time

The base of the triangle coincides with one side of the square.

The heroic age of bridge construction coincided with the expansion of the railroads …

—Mario Salvadori

b

: to occupy exactly corresponding or equivalent positions on a scale or in a series

100° Celsius coincides with 212° Fahrenheit.

2

: to correspond in nature, character, or function

" … our sentiments coincided in every particular … "

—Jane Austen

3

: to be in accord or agreement : concur

She coincided with his views on most subjects.

Synonyms

• accompany
• attend
• coexist
• concur
• co-occur
• synchronize

Choose the Right Synonym for coincide

agree, concur, coincide mean to come into or be in harmony regarding a matter of opinion.

agree implies complete accord usually attained by discussion and adjustment of differences.

on some points we all can agree

concur often implies approval of someone else's statement or decision.

if my wife concurs, it's a deal

coincide, used more often of opinions, judgments, wishes, or interests than of people, implies total agreement.

their wishes coincide exactly with my desire

Examples of coincide in a Sentence

The goals of the business partners coincide.

the heaviest snowfall of the season coincided with the start of our weeklong ski vacation

Recent Examples on the Web

Its emergence coincided with the legalization of recreational marijuana in the Golden State in 2016. —Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 20 Apr. 2024

Last year, the first day of national park week coincided with Earth Day. —USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2024

The jump in offenses between 2019 and 2022 coincided with students’ post-pandemic return en masse to campuses. —Abigail Celaya, The Arizona Republic, 19 Apr. 2024

Dramatic weather and powerful geologic activity coincided earlier this week in Indonesia’s North Sulawesi province, where a volcanic eruption spewed lava and ash nearly two miles into the air. —Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Apr. 2024

The reimplementation of standardized testing has coincided with a spate of personal anecdotes, research, and articles extolling their putative benefits. —Evan Mandery, TIME, 18 Apr. 2024

Scheffler’s ascent coincided with his playing partner plummeting in a tailspin, as Morikawa took two attempts to escape a bunker at the ninth before splashing a shot into the water two holes later to card two double bogeys in a matter of minutes. —Jack Bantock, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024

More information about Hollywood & Mind’s event, which coincides with Mental Health Awareness Month, can be found at hollywood-mind.com. —Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Apr. 2024

The Russian awakening to the importance of drones coincided with the stabilization of the front lines, around August 2022. —IEEE Spectrum, 10 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin coincidere "to be identical in substance, agree in position," from Latin co- co- + incidere "to fall or drop (into), come by chance, chance to happen" — more at incident entry 1

First Known Use

1719, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

coincide

verb

co·​in·​cide ˌkō-ən-ˈsīd 

coincided; coinciding

1

: to occupy the same place in space or time

2

: to occupy the same positions on a scale

3

: to agree exactly