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contemporary

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noun

as in companion
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

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective contemporary differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of contemporary are coeval, coincident, contemporaneous, simultaneous, and synchronous. While all these words mean "existing or occurring at the same time," contemporary is likely to apply to people and what relates to them.

Abraham Lincoln was contemporary with Charles Darwin

When is coeval a more appropriate choice than contemporary?

In some situations, the words coeval and contemporary are roughly equivalent. However, coeval refers usually to periods, ages, eras, eons.

two stars thought to be coeval

When could coincident be used to replace contemporary?

The words coincident and contemporary can be used in similar contexts, but coincident is applied to events and may be used in order to avoid implication of causal relationship.

the end of World War II was coincident with a great vintage year

In what contexts can contemporaneous take the place of contemporary?

While the synonyms contemporaneous and contemporary are close in meaning, contemporaneous is more often applied to events than to people.

contemporaneous accounts of the kidnapping

When is it sensible to use simultaneous instead of contemporary?

The meanings of simultaneous and contemporary largely overlap; however, simultaneous implies correspondence in a moment of time.

the two shots were simultaneous

Where would synchronous be a reasonable alternative to contemporary?

The synonyms synchronous and contemporary are sometimes interchangeable, but synchronous implies exact correspondence in time and especially in periodic intervals.

synchronous timepieces

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 contemporary
Adjective
The designer, who founded her eponymous interior architecture and design studio in 2011, brings her cool, contemporary style to projects around the world from Irvine to India. Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 3 Sep. 2025 In February, collectors and curators converge for Investec Cape Town Art Fair, Africa’s most significant contemporary art event. AFAR Media, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
Tagovailoa watched his contemporaries from Alabama, Jalen Hurts and DeVonta Smith, get a Super Bowl ring with Philadelphia last season. Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2025 Sombr performs with a distinct internal confidence and external charm that has been notably absent in the withering releases from many of his male contemporaries in pop. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for contemporary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contemporary
Adjective
  • Only a small fraction of concurrent credit students in school districts take at least 29 credit hours.
    Edward McKinnon, Arkansas Online, 4 Sep. 2025
  • However, in cases where someone was convicted of two or more crimes and served concurrent or uninterrupted consecutive prison terms, those only count as a single conviction under the persistent felony offender law.
    Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The planes are modern, with the average aircraft being less than seven years old.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 5 Sep. 2025
  • In the modern game, from Tests to T20s and The Hundred, each side will now tend to include more than one gun fielder.
    James Wallace, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Accessibility and Accommodations The Delacorte offers accessible seating for those with mobility needs, with companion seats available.
    Emma Caldwell, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025
  • That tracks with the furry companions being in more spaces, such as stores and restaurants.
    Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • For his last runway collection, unveiled in September, Michele constructed a parallel universe of side-by-side shows separated by a wall that when lifted revealed twins in identical looks in synchronic stride.
    Colleen Barry, Fortune, 24 Nov. 2022
  • With a lockable synchronic-tilt mechanism and special Z-Shape design, the Kaiser 2 can accommodate a weight up to 180kg, quite a bit more than normal mechanisms on office chairs and the back can be reclined to an angle of 160 degrees which can be locked when not in rocking mode.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2021
Adjective
  • University of Arizona has fixed its budget troubles, its new president says, roughly two years after a shockingly large shortfall was discovered.
    Joanna Allhands, AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2025
  • The takeaway Milwaukee’s food-loving community can breathe a sigh of relief: the former Ardent space is in good hands, bringing new life and flavor to the dining room and this part of the east side neighborhood.
    Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Many of us who are raised on or reformed by incomparable low-and-slow Southern pork barbecue appreciate cabbage slaw as a classic accompaniment, whether spooned onto our plate (AKA our tray) or inside a sandwich bun.
    Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2025
  • Bright Eyes are back with a new EP that serves as a soft accompaniment to last year’s Five Dice, All Threes.
    Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The modules are supplemented with synchronous discussions led by world-class educators who provide Masterclasses across diverse disciplines.
    Bryan Penprase, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
  • At that time, two different brain networks generate slow, synchronous electrical waves known as slow waves that connect visual stimuli with brain regions required for navigation.
    Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 24 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Zoo life can be a lux experience for these Arizonan species, but for their wild counterparts living in the Sonoran desert, there is no escape from the region’s extreme heat and extended drought.
    John Leos, AZCentral.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Along with the Cannes Film Festival, Venice has soared in popularity and notoriety as their North American counterparts — most notably Toronto and Sundance — have struggled to remain relevant.
    Brent Lang, Variety, 3 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Contemporary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemporary. Accessed 6 Sep. 2025.

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