Synonyms of contemporary

contemporary 1 of 2

adjective

kən-ˈtem-pə-ˌrer-ē 

1

as in concurrent

existing or occurring at the same period of time

the absurd notion that early cave dwellers were contemporary with the dinosaurs

Synonyms & Similar Words

• concurrent
• synchronic
• synchronous
• contemporaneous
• coincident
• coincidental
• simultaneous
• coeval
• coterminous
• coetaneous
• accompanying
• coextensive
• incident
• coexistent
• concomitant
• coexisting
• attending
• attendant

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• asynchronous
• nonsynchronous
• nonsimultaneous
• noncontemporary

2

as in modern

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

a magazine devoted to contemporary fashions

Synonyms & Similar Words

• modern
• new
• current
• stylish
• fashionable
• designer
• modernistic
• present-day
• modernized
• latest
• ultramodern
• futuristic
• up-to-date
• state-of-the-art
• new age
• newfangled
• hot
• red-hot
• up-to-the-minute
• mod
• new-fashioned
• recent
• space-age
• updated
• modish
• in
• nouvelle
• now
• happening
• last
• high-tech
• latter-day

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• archaic
• old-time
• ancient
• antiquated
• historical
• old-fashioned
• old
• anachronistic
• out-of-date
• past
• historic
• dated
• former
• fusty
• musty
• antediluvian
• venerable
• hoary
• antique
• bygone
• aged
• age-old
• late
• olden
• retro
• outmoded
• obsolete
• passé
• old-world
• retrograde
• oldfangled
• outworn
• timeless
• discarded
• remote
• disused
• forgotten
• ageless
• unmodernized
• moth-eaten
• kaput
• dateless

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

• companion
• accompaniment
• counterpart
• coeval
• equivalent
• equal
• concomitant
• rival
• coordinate
• match
• peer

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

Recent Examples of contemporary

Adjective

Yayoi Kusama, whose obsessive repetitions of dots and nets became a means of expressing infinity, leaving an indelible mark on contemporary art worldwide, died on August 14 of multiple organ failure at a hospital in Tokyo. — Tessa Solomon For Artnews, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2026

After nearly a decade, Ridley Scott is returning to the Alien franchise with a contemporary take. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2026

Noun

Bonanno, one of its original members, is said to have eschewed the pomp and public appearances of his contemporaries and remained a low-profile figure into the 1950s. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Aug. 2026

Unlike his contemporaries Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning, Lower East Side artist Landès Lewitin has been largely forgotten—except among the art cognoscenti. — R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026