Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

contemporary

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of contemporary

1 existing or occurring at the same period of time

  • the absurd notion that early cave dwellers were contemporary with the dinosaurs
Synonyms of contemporary

coetaneous, coeval, coexistent, coexisting, coextensive, coincident, coincidental, concurrent, contemporaneous, coterminous, simultaneous, synchronic, synchronous
Words Related to contemporary

accompanying, attendant, attending, concomitant, incident
Antonyms of contemporary

asynchronous, noncontemporary, nonsimultaneous, nonsynchronous

2 being or involving the latest methods, concepts, information, or styles

  • a magazine devoted to contemporary fashions
Synonyms of contemporary

current, designer, hot, mod, modern, modernistic, new, new age, new-fashioned, newfangled, present-day, red-hot, space-age, state-of-the-art, ultramodern, up-to-date, up-to-the-minute
Words Related to contemporary

fashionable, happening, in, modish, nouvelle, now, stylish

last, latest

modernized, updated

futuristic, high-tech (also hi-tech)

latter-day, recent
Near Antonyms of contemporary

anachronistic

aged, age-old, ancient, antediluvian, hoary, old, venerable

bygone, former, late, olden, past

antique, historic, historical

retro, retrograde

kaput (also kaputt), obsolete, outmoded, outworn, unmodernized

old-world

discarded, disused, moth-eaten

forgotten, remote

ageless, dateless, timeless
Antonyms of contemporary

antiquated, archaic, dated, fusty, musty, oldfangled, old-fashioned, old-time, out-of-date, passé

Synonym Discussion of contemporary

contemporary, contemporaneous, coeval, synchronous, simultaneous, coincident 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
contemporaneous is more often applied to events than to people.
    • contemporaneous accounts of the kidnapping
coeval refers usually to periods, ages, eras, eons.
    • two stars thought to be coeval
synchronous implies exact correspondence in time and especially in periodic intervals.
    • synchronous timepieces
simultaneous implies correspondence in a moment of time.
    • the two shots were simultaneous
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

contemporary

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of contemporary

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 of contemporary

coeval
Words Related to contemporary

accompaniment, companion, concomitant

coordinate, counterpart, equal, equivalent, match, peer, rival

Learn More about contemporary

  1. See words that rhyme with contemporary Dictionary: Definition of contemporary Spanish Central: Translation of contemporary Nglish: Translation of contemporary for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of contemporary for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up contemporary? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games