coincidence

noun

co·​in·​ci·​dence kō-ˈin(t)-sə-dən(t)s 

-sə-ˌden(t)s

1

: the act or condition of coinciding : correspondence

… a perfect coincidence between truth and goodness …

—Robert South

2

: the occurrence of events that happen at the same time by accident but seem to have some connection

… causal connection requires something more than mere coincidence as to time and place …

—Wayne R. LaFave

also : any of these occurrences

Synonyms

• occurrence

Examples of coincidence in a Sentence

It was mere coincidence that brought them together so far from Chicago.

By coincidence, every man in the room was named Fred.

“I'm going to Boston this weekend.” “What a coincidence! I am too.”

It was no coincidence that he quit his job at the bank a day after the robbery.

a series of strange coincidences

By a fortunate coincidence, we arrived at the theater at the same time.

Scientists have no explanation for the coincidence of these phenomena.

Recent Examples on the Web

If there are no coincidences in Taylor Swift‘s world, then her ever-observant Swiftie fans are convinced that the pop superstar will headline the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show. —Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 19 Aug. 2025

Baxter reported that Betts met with Roberts and the president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman, after the loss, and suggested that the timing of the meeting was no coincidence. —Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025

Perhaps by coincidence, many of the fiction films in competition this year feature child protagonists. —Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 15 Aug. 2025

Environmentalists and community activists say this is no coincidence. —Andrew R. Chow, Time, 13 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin coincidentia, derivative of coincident-, coincidens, present participle of coincidere "to agree in nature, coincide"

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for coincidence

• incidence

Kids Definition

coincidence

noun

co·​in·​ci·​dence kō-ˈin(t)-səd-ən(t)s 

1

: the act or condition of coinciding

2

a

: two things that happen at the same time by accident but seem to have some connection

b

: either one of these happenings