contemporaneous

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "contemporaneous" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe events, people, or things that exist or occur at the same time. Example: "The two artists were contemporaneous, both contributing to the cultural landscape of the 20th century."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But the first two of these questions require quicker, more contemporaneous answers.

The Guardian

A: Closing comment threads after they've been open for a while (depending on section of site: see above) means that the conversations are kept relatively fresh and contemporaneous.

The Guardian

Noticeably, the Nicolay version does not contain the phrase "under God", which was later added to other copies Lincoln made of the speech – and appeared in contemporaneous newspaper reports.

The Guardian

A: The main reason is that we want to ensure conversations are relevant and topical, which makes sense considering so much of what we publish on the site is related to or inspired by contemporaneous events.

The Guardian

Zooming in again can show contemporaneous developments in ancient Babylon and Mycenaean Greece, say, or how matter behaved in the first fractions of a second after the Big Bang.

The Economist

But he is keen to distinguish this from nostalgia; the sense of oldness and newness being contemporaneous runs through the book.

The Economist

Instead his contemporaneous typewritten journals have now been published, abridged but not expurgated.Though an imperfect substitute for a reflective integrated work, the "Journals" are an indispensable source for historians and irresistibly readable.

The Economist

One contemporaneous example is Sasha Issenberg's "Rick Perry and his Eggheads".

The Economist

Moreover, education has an extraordinarily high contemporaneous relationship with national income levels.Before I sign off on job-creating opera-construction initiatives, I'd like to see an effort to control for education levels a century ago.

The Economist

It has the merit of being both distinctive and contemporaneous with the foundation of the EU itself.

The Economist

Steering clear of fads and fashions, Mr Bellow made his mark by revivifying realism, even though he wrote mostly from the viewpoint of impression and memory rather than contemporaneous action.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In academic and scientific writing, "contemporaneous" can effectively link related developments or theories, highlighting their shared temporal context and potential influences.

Common error

Avoid using "contemporaneous" when you simply mean "modern" or "current". "Contemporaneous" specifically refers to things existing or occurring at the same time in the past or present, not just what is happening now.

Linguistic Context

The word "contemporaneous" functions primarily as an adjective. It modifies nouns to indicate that the things being described existed or occurred during the same period. Ludwig AI confirms this adjective usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

37%

News & Media

32%

Encyclopedias

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "contemporaneous" is an adjective used to describe events, people, or objects existing or occurring during the same period. Ludwig AI validates its correct usage in formal contexts. It is frequently found in science, news and media, and encyclopedias. While related to terms like "contemporary" and "simultaneous", it specifically emphasizes shared temporal context rather than present-day relevance or exact co-occurrence. When writing, remember that "contemporaneous" is best suited for academic, scientific, or formal discussions where precision and clarity are important. Be sure to avoid using it when you simply mean "modern" or "current".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Contemporary

Emphasizes current relevance and alignment with the present time, more general than precise simultaneity.

Simultaneous

Focuses on the exact co-occurrence of events, highlighting their happening at the same moment.

Coexisting

Highlights the presence of multiple entities at the same time, often in the same space or environment.

Co-occurring

Stresses the joint occurrence of events or phenomena, often implying a relationship or correlation.

Synchronous

Implies a precise alignment in time, often used in technical or scientific contexts.

Coincident

Indicates events happening at the same time by chance or without a clear causal connection.

Parallel

Suggests events or processes unfolding at the same time, often with a similar or related trajectory.

Concomitant

Implies that something else also happens, is connected or linked to it. Used for multiple things happening at the same time.

Current

Highlights the present-day relevance of something, though can be less specific about simultaneity.

Present-day

Focuses on the things, people and events of the present time.

FAQs

How can I use "contemporaneous" in a sentence?

You can use "contemporaneous" to describe events, people, or objects that exist or occur at the same time. For example, "The discovery of penicillin and the rise of modernism were contemporaneous events."

What's the difference between "contemporaneous" and "contemporary"?

"Contemporaneous" refers to things existing or occurring at the same period, while "contemporary" generally means belonging to the present time.

Which is correct, "contemporaneous" or "simultaneous"?

Both "contemporaneous" and "simultaneous" are correct, but they have slightly different nuances. "Contemporaneous" emphasizes existing in the same period, while "simultaneous" focuses on occurring at the same moment.

What can I say instead of "contemporaneous"?

You can use alternatives like "contemporary", "coeval", or "simultaneous" depending on the context.