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

The six-hour series, set to premiere March 22 to coincide with the Passover and Easter holidays, has added Millie Brady, Blu Hunt, James Purefoy, Will Stevens and Taylor Napier to its ensemble. —Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2025

The visit coincided with Yash Raj Studios’ 20th anniversary of operations in India. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Oct. 2025

The buildup has coincided with recent strikes off the Venezuelan coast, including one confirmed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week that killed four individuals aboard a vessel allegedly tied to drug trafficking. —Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025

The Bunker Hill reenactment coincided with the first sunny Saturday to enlighten the Boston area in 15 weeks, which may explain why some 20,000 people turned out to Gloucester’s Stage Fort Park that weekend to witness it. —Caity Weaver, The Atlantic, 8 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