coincide

verb

co·​in·​cide ˌkō-ən-ˈsīd  ˈkō-ən-ˌsīd 

coincided; coinciding

intransitive verb

1

a

: to occupy the same place in space or time

The base of the triangle coincides with one side of the square.

The heroic age of bridge construction coincided with the expansion of the railroads …

—Mario Salvadori

b

: to occupy exactly corresponding or equivalent positions on a scale or in a series

100° Celsius coincides with 212° Fahrenheit.

2

: to correspond in nature, character, or function

" … our sentiments coincided in every particular … "

—Jane Austen

3

: to be in accord or agreement : concur

She coincided with his views on most subjects.

Synonyms

• accompany
• attend
• coexist
• concur
• co-occur
• synchronize

Choose the Right Synonym for coincide

agree, concur, coincide mean to come into or be in harmony regarding a matter of opinion.

agree implies complete accord usually attained by discussion and adjustment of differences.

on some points we all can agree

concur often implies approval of someone else's statement or decision.

if my wife concurs, it's a deal

coincide, used more often of opinions, judgments, wishes, or interests than of people, implies total agreement.

their wishes coincide exactly with my desire

Examples of coincide in a Sentence

The goals of the business partners coincide.

the heaviest snowfall of the season coincided with the start of our weeklong ski vacation

Recent Examples on the Web

Related article After a punishing year for Britain’s royals, the Windsors hope for a brighter 2025 While the exact dates of the King and Queen’s forthcoming Italy trip have not yet been revealed, speculation is mounting that the visit could coincide with their 20th wedding anniversary on April 9. —Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN, 6 Feb. 2025

His pop-up at Selfridges, which has been running for three months has been extended to the end of February to coincide with London Fashion Week. —Hikmat Mohammed, WWD, 6 Feb. 2025

The shooting would have coincided with the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025

Bald eagles were among the first animals listed on the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and a coinciding ban on DDT allowed populations to start successfully reproducing again. —Jamie Siebrase, The Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin coincidere "to be identical in substance, agree in position," from Latin co- co- + incidere "to fall or drop (into), come by chance, chance to happen" — more at incident entry 1

First Known Use

1719, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

coincide

verb

co·​in·​cide ˌkō-ən-ˈsīd 

coincided; coinciding

1

: to occupy the same place in space or time

2

: to occupy the same positions on a scale

3

: to agree exactly