all at the same time

USAGE SUMMARY

"all at the same time" is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use this phrase to describe two or more actions that occur simultaneously. For example, "The crew scrambled to complete their assigned tasks, all at the same time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I was excited and nervous all at the same time.

The Guardian - Sport

Penis and breasts all at the same time.

The Guardian - Arts

Require users to sign one-by-one or all at the same time.

Columbia University

You can't make everything work all at the same time.

Forbes

The next time market participants try to reduce credit risk all at the same time.

Forbes

Gross and fun all at the same time!

HuffPost

Again, true and not true all at the same time.

Huffington Post

Basically, it's the best way to induce and cure drunchies all at the same time.

HuffPost

Her voice is flamboyant, cool, ascetic, austere, mellow and rich all at the same time.

HuffPost

Press Ctrl-Shift-C all at the same time.

WikiHow

Preferably not all at the same time.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "all at the same time" to clearly indicate that multiple actions or events are occurring simultaneously, ensuring clarity and avoiding ambiguity. For example, "The phones rang, the emails arrived, and the printer started churning, all at the same time."

Common error

Avoid using "all at the same time" in sentences where the simultaneity is already implied. For example, instead of saying "They arrived and left all at the same time", it's more concise to say "They arrived and left together".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "all at the same time" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb or clause. Ludwig shows that it indicates that multiple actions or events are occurring simultaneously, adding emphasis to the concurrency.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

47%

Academia

30%

Science

23%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "all at the same time" is a grammatically sound and very common adverbial phrase used to emphasize the simultaneous occurrence of multiple events. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and widespread usage across diverse contexts, particularly in news and media, and academia. While versatile, it's best used when highlighting concurrency or complexity, and avoided when the simultaneity is already apparent. Alternatives such as "simultaneously" or "at once" can offer stylistic variations. The phrase serves to underscore the idea that events are not just happening near each other in time, but truly co-occurring, lending a sense of immediacy or even overwhelmingness to the described scenario.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Simultaneously

A single-word adverb that succinctly conveys the meaning of actions happening together.

Concurrently

Similar to simultaneously, but often used in more formal or technical contexts.

At once

A more concise and informal way to express actions happening together.

In unison

Implies a coordinated or synchronized action happening together.

At the same instant

Emphasizes the precise timing of events occurring together.

At one and the same time

A more emphatic and somewhat redundant way of saying "at the same time".

In parallel

Suggests that actions are happening independently but during the same period.

Together

A simple and broad term indicating that actions are combined in some way.

Coincidentally

Highlights the chance occurrence of events happening together.

At the selfsame moment

An archaic or literary alternative, emphasizes exact temporal alignment.

FAQs

How can I use "all at the same time" in a sentence?

Use "all at the same time" to indicate that multiple actions or events are occurring simultaneously. For instance, "She was laughing and crying "all at the same time"" shows that both emotions happened together.

What are some alternatives to using "all at the same time"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "simultaneously", "concurrently", or "at once" to express the same idea.

Is it redundant to use "at the same time" and "all at the same time"?

While "at the same time" is perfectly acceptable, "all at the same time" adds emphasis that multiple things are happening together, highlighting the concurrency more explicitly.

When is it best to use "all at the same time" instead of other similar phrases?

Use "all at the same time" when you want to emphasize that several distinct actions or events are happening together, creating a sense of simultaneity or even chaos. For example, "The children were playing, the dog was barking, and the phone was ringing "all at the same time"" conveys a busy scene.