coincidental

adjective

co·​in·​ci·​den·​tal (ˌ)kō-ˌin(t)-sə-ˈden-tᵊl How to pronounce coincidental (audio)
Synonyms of coincidentalnext
1
: resulting from a coincidence
a coincidental resemblance
2
: occurring or existing at the same time
coincidental deaths

Examples of coincidental in a Sentence

The fact that he and his boss went to the same college was purely coincidental. the nearly coincidental deaths of Princess Diana and Mother Teresa
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When Krause said the four town halls being in the midst of a contentious election season was coincidental, Simmons denied having planned any political activity for the town halls. Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 June 2026 Brittany Bell jokes that doctorate dissertation is 'coincidental' Bell, who also has a bachelor's degree from Arizona State University and a master's degree from Pepperdine University, spoke about her doctoral dissertation in the February 2025 interview. Melina Khan, USA Today, 9 June 2026 Not entirely coincidental – the Dodgers (42-23) have won 18 of those 23 games. Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 7 June 2026 The specificity of that result — improvement only in wet conditions — is exactly what an adaptive hypothesis predicts and what a coincidental explanation cannot easily account for. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for coincidental

Word History

Etymology

coincident + -al entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of coincidental was circa 1800

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Coincidental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coincidental. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

coincidental

adjective
co·​in·​ci·​den·​tal (ˌ)kō-ˌin(t)-sə-ˈdent-ᵊl How to pronounce coincidental (audio)
1
: resulting from a coincidence
a coincidental resemblance
2
: occurring or existing at the same time
coincidentally
-ˈdent-lē
-ᵊl-ē
adverb

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