coincidence
koh-IN-sih-dens
/koʊˈɪnsɪdəns/
A remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without apparent causal connection.
The standard, most common word for things happening at the same time by chance.
The story behind the word. From Medieval Latin 'coincidere,' meaning 'to fall upon together.' It literally describes two things 'falling' into the same spot at the same time.
Word relationships
- fluke: A fluke is a single, unlikely chance event; a coincidence involves two or more things matching.
- design: A planned arrangement.
Commonly confused with
- irony: Irony involves a reversal of expectations; coincidence is just things happening together.
Word family
- coincidental (adjective): happening by coincidence
- coincide (verb): to happen at the same time
Collocations
- mere coincidence
- strange coincidence
- remarkable coincidence
Idioms & expressions
- what a coincidence
Example sentences
- "Coincidence is the word we use when we can't see the levers and pulleys." Skeptical view.
- "By a strange coincidence, we were both wearing the exact same vintage tie." Everyday occurrence.
Memory hook
CO- (together) + INCIDENT (event). Two incidents together. Incidents falling together.
When not to use
Avoid when you want to imply a deeper, spiritual meaning (use synchronicity) or a lucky discovery (use serendipity).
Fun facts
- The 'Birthday Paradox' is a famous mathematical coincidence where in a group of 23 people, there's a 50% chance two share a birthday.
Related words
Explore more words
simultaneous, concurrent, concur, causality, occasional, Correlation
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