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 of coincidence

• 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

Despite initial concern that Trump might throttle back federal defense contracts toward Connecticut, Connecticut’s defense and aerospace sector — anchored by companies like Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, and Electric Boat — is thriving under his stewardship, and not by coincidence. —Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2026

That is not entirely a coincidence, in that Yu Darvish has been a mentor. —Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026

Accenting the anguish by bizarre apparent coincidence, less than two weeks later the National Basketball Rules Committee reinstated the dunk — it had been banned for nearly a decade at the amateur level. —Kansas City Star, 28 Mar. 2026

Weird coincidence, or do the machines just have it out for fragile transit infrastructure? —Frank Landymore, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026

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