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
• happen

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

With Hubbard set to return from a calf injury that sidelined him for two games, which coincided with Dowdle posting the best two-game stretch by a running back in team history, Canales is faced with a conundrum. —Joseph Person, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025

The latest flare-up coincided with a historic trip by Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to Pakistan’s rival India, triggering concern in Islamabad. —Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2025

The release of Skims’ new thong is uniquely coinciding with a wider conversation about female body hair happening in beauty now, as brands such as Billie double down on product partnerships with bush-positive messaging. —Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025

That coincided with a drop in demand for Chinese UCO after the European Union probed Chinese imports for artificially low prices. —Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 15 Oct. 2025

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

Rhymes for coincide

• actinide
• aldehyde
• alkoxide
• alongside
• amplified
• arsenide
• beautified
• biocide
• butoxide
• calcified
• ceramide
• certified

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