contemporary 1 of 2

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
However, the movie’s framing has widespread contemporary resonance, and an enormous overlap with how trans issues are discussed, particularly in how individuals who deviate from strict gender norms are so readily demonized by others. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 13 Mar. 2025 The art in these museums is almost always contemporary, reflecting the dearth of available old masters along with a global chattering-classes consensus that avant-garde art is socially, intellectually, and culturally important. Susan Tallman, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2025
Noun
The crooner was one of Sinatra's contemporaries in the group of singers in the '50s and '60s known as the Rat Pack. Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 26 Feb. 2025 The Butcher’s Wife (1991) Unlike many of her contemporaries — Meg Ryan, Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock — Moore never went the romantic-comedy route. Eddie Mouradian, Vulture, 24 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for contemporary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contemporary
Adjective
  • The jail time is concurrent and work release is authorized, according to prosecutors.
    Sara Schilling, Sacramento Bee, 10 Mar. 2025
  • If their country has no visa backlog risks, these investors can comfortably wait for their green cards while taking advantage of the benefits that come with concurrent filing, making high-unemployment TEA projects a viable option.
    Sam Silverman, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • In an era dominated by CGI, Hung emphasizes the physical authenticity that defined Hong Kong action while acknowledging modern techniques.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Then Charlton joined the club’s directors and was part of the appointment process that brought Alex Ferguson south from Aberdeen in 1986 to start a second wave of modern United success.
    Michael Walker, The Athletic, 15 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • What a rare and thrilling opportunity to watch Chris Pratt exchange snarky but affectionate banter with a small, smart-mouthed CGI companion!
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 7 Mar. 2025
  • One of these white dwarfs is thought to be stripping material from a planetary companion, destroying it albeit in a slower fashion than WD 2226-210 did its planetary meal.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Adjective
  • With respect to Korpisalo, the Sens’ love for their new goaltender has eclipsed their old flame.
    Julian McKenzie, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Many of the lingerie-centric stage costumes worn by Carpenter have been custom collaborations with Victoria’s Secret, including new looks that debuted on March 5 with the kickoff of the tour’s European leg in Dublin.
    Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Multiple voices in one hand blended into fistfuls of color, and perplexing emphases on accompaniment figures served to distract, rather than elucidate, the musical argument.
    Luke Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2025
  • The Embassy has at least five silent films with organ accompaniment planned for this year, including a spooky movie at Halloween.
    Heather Kathryn Ross, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Time is rendered as a synchronous blend of moments, untethering and distorting any normative perspective.
    Sakhi Thirani, JSTOR Daily, 22 Mar. 2023
  • Well, considering the space telescope will be pretty much mapping everything in the sky from its special dawn-dusk sun synchronous orbit that keeps it cool enough to study infrared emissions — the list is endless.
    Monisha Ravisetti, Space.com, 31 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The Institute’s Democratic counterpart, the National Democratic Institute, faces a similar challenge.
    Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2025
  • Research shows that Black women are 50% less likely to be diagnosed with the condition than their white counterparts.
    Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 6 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Contemporary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemporary. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

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