COEVAL Synonyms: 31 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'coeval' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of coeval are coincident , contemporaneous , contemporary , simultaneous , and synchronous . While all these words mean "existing or occurring at the same time," coeval refers usually to periods, ages, eras, eons. // two stars thought to be coeval

Q: In what contexts can 'coincident' take the place of 'coeval'?

While the synonyms coincident and coeval are close in meaning, 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

Q: When can 'contemporaneous' be used instead of 'coeval'?

The synonyms contemporaneous and coeval are sometimes interchangeable, but contemporaneous is more often applied to events than to people. // contemporaneous accounts of the kidnapping

Q: When could 'contemporary' be used to replace 'coeval'?

The meanings of contemporary and coeval largely overlap; however, contemporary is likely to apply to people and what relates to them. // Abraham Lincoln was contemporary with Charles Darwin

Q: When would 'simultaneous' be a good substitute for 'coeval'?

In some situations, the words simultaneous and coeval are roughly equivalent. However, simultaneous implies correspondence in a moment of time. // the two shots were simultaneous

Q: Where would 'synchronous' be a reasonable alternative to 'coeval'?

The words synchronous and coeval can be used in similar contexts, but synchronous implies exact correspondence in time and especially in periodic intervals. // synchronous timepieces

coeval 1 of 2

adjective

kō-ˈē-vəl

Definition of coeval next

as in concurrent

existing or occurring at the same period of time two stars thought to be coeval because they have nearly the same mass and brightness

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

coeval

2 of 2

noun

as in contemporary

a person who lives at the same time or is about the same age as another somewhat surprisingly, Saint Patrick and Attila the Hun were coevals

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective coeval differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of coeval are coincident, contemporaneous, contemporary, simultaneous, and synchronous. While all these words mean "existing or occurring at the same time," coeval refers usually to periods, ages, eras, eons.

two stars thought to be coeval

In what contexts can coincident take the place of coeval?

While the synonyms coincident and coeval are close in meaning, 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

When can contemporaneous be used instead of coeval?

The synonyms contemporaneous and coeval are sometimes interchangeable, but contemporaneous is more often applied to events than to people.

contemporaneous accounts of the kidnapping

When could contemporary be used to replace coeval?

The meanings of contemporary and coeval largely overlap; however, contemporary is likely to apply to people and what relates to them.

Abraham Lincoln was contemporary with Charles Darwin

When would simultaneous be a good substitute for coeval?

In some situations, the words simultaneous and coeval are roughly equivalent. However, simultaneous implies correspondence in a moment of time.

the two shots were simultaneous

Where would synchronous be a reasonable alternative to coeval?

The words synchronous and coeval can be used in similar contexts, 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 coeval

Adjective

Their personalities and their pain are made almost exactly coeval, with little telling slippage between. —

Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023 Her letters to Bradley demonstrate that the idea was coeval with her wish to be a poet and her discovery of romantic feeling for girls, and that it was fully formed as early as her adolescence. —

Langdon Hammer, The New York Review of Books, 25 Feb. 2020 Tribalism and clannishness are coeval with human social life. —

Stephen Holmes, The New York Review of Books, 17 Jan. 2019

Recent Examples of Synonyms for coeval

Adjective

He has been sentenced to life in prison in that case as well, and the sentences will run concurrent with each other, the district attorney’s office said in a social media post on Friday, Feb. 7.

— Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2025
The follow-up to Kingdom Come: Deliverance eclipsed its predecessor's launch stats on PC with ease, racking up a concurrent user (CCU) peak of 159,351 during its first day, according to SteamDB.

— Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025