as in companions
a person who lives at the same time or is about the same age as another
Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin were exact contemporaries, actually being born on the same day in 1809
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of contemporaries
His sparse biography is fleshed out and enriched by a marvelous evocation of Elizabethan theater before and during his brief career—and his impact on a string of his contemporaries, particularly Shakespeare.
—
Audiofile Magazine
september 30, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2025
Some of their contemporaries may have reached higher heights, but Thrice is still here when so many others aren’t.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
Carl Linnaeus and Georges-Louis de Buffon, 18th-century contemporaries, one in Sweden and the other in France, try to identify all of life on Earth.
—The Know, Denver Post, 28 Sep. 2025
Hart had a brilliant but too-short run; Godard outlived nearly all his contemporaries and became one of the world’s most important filmmakers.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2025
The collector sought letters, manuscripts and research by Turner's predecessors, contemporaries, champions and even an art student who could masterfully copy his pieces.
—Domenica Bongiovanni, IndyStar, 26 Sep. 2025
All of her contemporaries are gone.
—Rosemary Rossi, Variety, 24 Sep. 2025
Qualifying has been an area of weakness for Hamilton over the past couple of years, failing to match the speed of his younger contemporaries.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
While former rivals David Letterman and Jay Leno both went on the record in support of him, every one of his contemporaries addressed the story Thursday night.
—Judy Berman, Time, 19 Sep. 2025
Audiofile Magazine
september 30, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2025
Some of their contemporaries may have reached higher heights, but Thrice is still here when so many others aren’t.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
Carl Linnaeus and Georges-Louis de Buffon, 18th-century contemporaries, one in Sweden and the other in France, try to identify all of life on Earth.
—The Know, Denver Post, 28 Sep. 2025
Hart had a brilliant but too-short run; Godard outlived nearly all his contemporaries and became one of the world’s most important filmmakers.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2025
The collector sought letters, manuscripts and research by Turner's predecessors, contemporaries, champions and even an art student who could masterfully copy his pieces.
—Domenica Bongiovanni, IndyStar, 26 Sep. 2025
All of her contemporaries are gone.
—Rosemary Rossi, Variety, 24 Sep. 2025
Qualifying has been an area of weakness for Hamilton over the past couple of years, failing to match the speed of his younger contemporaries.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
While former rivals David Letterman and Jay Leno both went on the record in support of him, every one of his contemporaries addressed the story Thursday night.
—Judy Berman, Time, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contemporaries
Noun
-
Unable to plausibly explain to the authorities what happened — or why she’s covered in her friends’ blood — Sarah is forced back to the subterranean depths to help locate her five missing companions.—
Caitlin White,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Devotees give their lives over to the dictates of their AI companions, and some even profess undying love to their digital counterparts, relationships that have led to tragedy.—
Book Marks
October 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Devotees give their lives over to the dictates of their AI companions, and some even profess undying love to their digital counterparts, relationships that have led to tragedy.—
Book Marks
October 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Hockey players have forever been paid less than their counterparts in the other major sports.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The philosopher John Rawls argued that true fairness requires recognizing all people as moral equals.—
Henrietta Moore,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Still, as Huntrix finally steals the show, the movie shows the singers and the audience as equals.—
Yvonne Kim,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contemporaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemporaries. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share