contemporary 1 of 2

contemporary

2 of 2

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
Check into 21c Museum Hotel Bentonville, where contemporary art fills every hallway, then walk—or do as the locals do and bike—to just about everything in town. AFAR Media, 15 Oct. 2025 With the guidance of fashion veteran and Golden West creative director Michael Petry, who’s worked with such brands and labels as Frye, Tumi, Ralph Lauren, Prada and Adidas, Wilson’s brand gives Western boots a playful, contemporary spin. Julia Teti, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
The center — one of only seven basic laboratory cancer centers in the nation that are focused primarily on research — and its contemporaries were established through the National Cancer Act of 1971. Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Oct. 2025 Maersk, like many of its major ocean carrier contemporaries including Hapag-Lloyd and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), has avoided transits through the Red Sea since December 2023, two months after the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for contemporary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contemporary
Adjective
  • Mistakes, complaints and promotions The secretary issued several policy memos concurrent with his address aimed at overhauling the inspector general and equal opportunity complaint processes as part of his push to produce more Pattons.
    Davis Winkie, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
  • The concurrent carriage deadlines for NBCUniversal and TelevisaUnivision are coincidence.
    Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • But one scholar, Anthony Grafton, who about thirty years ago published Forgers and Critics, focused on how in the early modern period, there was this enormous flourishing not only of culture but also of liars.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The program features hits from the ’70s, such as The Beatles, Billy Joel, Elvis and The Carpenters, with modern twist.
    Linda Mcintosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The film follows a couple in crisis as Lawrence’s Grace, a woman transplanted to rural America with her companion Jackson, slowly starts to slip into madness.
    Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Sharon and Kelly Osbourne both poured their hearts out on social media over the death of Elvis, their furry companion.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 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
  • Meanwhile, aging aircraft fleets and a wave of retirements have created an urgent demand for new technicians.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2025
  • In this new study featuring more than 1,000 participants at 244 sites in 17 countries, patients received either enzalutamide plus leuprolide (the combination group), leuprolide (the leuprolide-alone group), or enzalutamide monotherapy (the monotherapy group).
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Jalapeño adds a welcome whisper of heat to this fruity riff on the classic oyster accompaniment.
    DERICK WADE, Saveur, 15 Oct. 2025
  • The video was just a great accompaniment.
    Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Williams also praised the chair for its slim profile, synchronous tilt, and adjustable lumbar support that make the seat suitable for long working hours.
    Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Shift from synchronous to asynchronous communication.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Meanwhile, big tech companies like Google, Microsoft, IBM and OpenAI have all joined the small-but-mighty club, with models that are a fraction of the size of their bigger counterparts.
    Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2025
  • And young leaders are taking a nod from their more experienced counterparts in prioritizing in-person, direct communication.
    Bill Connolly, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Contemporary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemporary. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on contemporary

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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