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

Oktoberfest coincided with my sixth marathon within 12 months in Berlin, Germany. —Rocky Sharma, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024

The company laid off about 1,200 workers at its truck plant in Warren, Michigan, coinciding with the discontinuation of the entry-level Ram 1500 Classic pickup. —Chris Isidore, CNN, 2 Dec. 2024

Russia's long-range bombardments of Ukraine have been intensifying in recent weeks, with a particular focus on the country's energy grid, coinciding with the onset of freezing winter temperatures. —David Brennan, ABC News, 1 Dec. 2024

Levels increase to 516 ng/dL by age 20 and plateau around age 17.5 Adolescence and Early Adulthood Adolescence is a time of rapid increases in testosterone in males, coinciding with the onset of male puberty. —Wendy Wisner, Health, 29 Nov. 2024

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