contemporary 1 of 2

adjective

kən-ˈtem-pə-ˌrer-ē How to pronounce contemporary (audio)
Definition of contemporarynext
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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in modern
being or involving the latest methods, concepts, information, or styles a magazine devoted to contemporary fashions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
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
  1. concurrent
  2. modern
  3. companion
  4. synchronic
  5. new
  6. accompaniment
  7. synchronous
  8. counterpart
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
Definition of concurrent
Adjective
  • There’s never been a better time to accomplish this goal thanks to loads of markdowns on Martha Stewart’s Wayfair line, which is packed with modern farmhouse furniture and decor that exude springtime’s fresh, calming spirit.
    — Megan Schaltegger, People.com, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Even though our grandparents wouldn’t have dreamt of cooking bacon in anything other than their cast-iron skillets, modern Southerners have their own ideas about the best ways to cook bacon.
    — Josh Miller, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of modern
Noun
  • Grok, named after the term coined by sci-fi author Robert A. Heinlein and modeled after the irreverent tone of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, is designed to be a companion, a guide — and, apparently, quite a bit of a troublemaker.
    — Anisha Sircar, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
  • The health system also built a general AI companion, based on the Claude family of anthropic large language models, that is currently in its pilot phase with the intention of launching next quarter.
    — Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of companion
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
Definition of synchronic
Adjective
  • With respect to Korpisalo, the Sens’ love for their new goaltender has eclipsed their old flame.
    — Julian McKenzie, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025
  • The price of eggs has dropped from $7.22 per dozen, just a little less than the all-time high of $8.17 a few days before, to $4.90 in a single week, new data shows.
    — Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of new
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
Definition of accompaniment
Adjective
  • This simple practice shifts whole cycles of collaboration ahead of meetings, dramatically reducing the time needed for synchronous discussion and increasing the quality of decisions.
    — Keith Ferrazzi, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Merrillville Community Schools will conduct a synchronous e-learning day.
    — Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2025
Definition of synchronous
Noun
  • His counterpart, John Calipari, whose high-profile move from Kentucky to Arkansas was among the sport’s biggest news stories last spring, has one national title of his own and six Final Four appearances spread across three schools: UMass, Memphis and Kentucky.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 18 Mar. 2025
  • To address potential risks of unauthorized alterations, the FDA implemented 21 CFR Part 11 in March 1997, establishing that electronic records and signatures must be as secure and tamper-resistant as their paper counterparts.
    — Christopher Petersen, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of counterpart

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Cite this Entry

“Contemporary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemporary. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

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