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
The series was tremendously fun and insightful and has aged better than many of its contemporaries.
—
David Faris, TheWeek, 18 Feb. 2026
Forgotten today, the figure of the marquis was well known to his contemporaries.
—Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
Today, Ireland is a modern European country with a global outlook, connected to the world in ways that Cosgrave and his contemporaries could only have imagined.
—Brian Cahalane, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
Tributes poured in Monday as friends, fans and Hollywood contemporaries fondly remembered Oscar-winning actor Robert Duvall following his death on Sunday.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 16 Feb. 2026
Unlike many of his brash contemporaries, Oscar Piastri is known for his calm demeanor on and off the Formula One track.
—Roman Stubbs, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2026
McPherson enjoyed the work of many contemporaries, but admired Hayes’ ability to pivot gracefully from one passion to another.
—Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
The Chicago Collective continues to be the must-attend show for independent menswear stores to find trend-right merchandise while reconnecting with their contemporaries about how best to navigate the macro-issues facing the industry.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 6 Feb. 2026
One could be forgiven to pooh-pooh yet another play that lays out William Shakespeare’s bona fides as a hip-hop icon, the original bar spitter who beefed with plenty of his contemporaries while dropping sick flows all over Elizabethan England.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2026
David Faris, TheWeek, 18 Feb. 2026
Forgotten today, the figure of the marquis was well known to his contemporaries.
—Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026
Today, Ireland is a modern European country with a global outlook, connected to the world in ways that Cosgrave and his contemporaries could only have imagined.
—Brian Cahalane, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
Tributes poured in Monday as friends, fans and Hollywood contemporaries fondly remembered Oscar-winning actor Robert Duvall following his death on Sunday.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 16 Feb. 2026
Unlike many of his brash contemporaries, Oscar Piastri is known for his calm demeanor on and off the Formula One track.
—Roman Stubbs, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2026
McPherson enjoyed the work of many contemporaries, but admired Hayes’ ability to pivot gracefully from one passion to another.
—Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
The Chicago Collective continues to be the must-attend show for independent menswear stores to find trend-right merchandise while reconnecting with their contemporaries about how best to navigate the macro-issues facing the industry.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 6 Feb. 2026
One could be forgiven to pooh-pooh yet another play that lays out William Shakespeare’s bona fides as a hip-hop icon, the original bar spitter who beefed with plenty of his contemporaries while dropping sick flows all over Elizabethan England.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contemporaries
Noun
-
Occupations that qualify for the tax break on tips as spelled out by Treasury also include bartenders, washroom attendants, elderly companions, party planners, pet groomers and more.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Almost all companions on this list use rosemary for its strong scent as a natural deterrent, but onions come with a repelling smell of their own.—
Ashlyn Needham,
The Spruce,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And though light-wash jeans tend to lean more casual and suitable for daytime than their dark-wash counterparts, there are still endless ways to style the wardrobe staple for a night out.—
Abby Morgan Lebet,
Glamour,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Anode-free lithium-ion batteries promise even higher energy density than their anode-containing counterparts, and at a lower cost.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Yet given the power differential between China and Canada—or, for that matter, between China and any NATO ally other than the United States—such a partnership will not be among equals.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
18 Feb. 2026
-
In the courtroom, Waldman has few equals.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The universal hatred comes from the child star’s coevals, whose curiosity about the occupation is mingled with resentment.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contemporaries.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemporaries. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
