1
as in concurrent
existing or occurring at the same period of time
the absurd notion that early cave dwellers were contemporary with the dinosaurs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in modern
being or involving the latest methods, concepts, information, or styles
a magazine devoted to contemporary fashions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in companion
a person who lives at the same time or is about the same age as another
Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin were exact contemporaries, actually being born on the same day in 1809
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of contemporary
Robert F. Moss, Southern Living, 23 July 2025
Built on a foundation of traditional Mexican folk styles like mariachi, cumbia and norteño, Los Bukis was among the first successful Mexican bands to incorporate elements of contemporary pop and rock to their sound.
—Thania Garcia, Variety, 23 July 2025
John McDermott, Rolling Stone, 6 July 2025
When introduced, Porsche’s giant killer was small, light, and nimble compared to most of its contemporaries, but also less powerful than all but a few.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for contemporary
Adjective
Here are five urban destinations defining the contemporary Southern barbecue scene.
—Robert F. Moss, Southern Living, 23 July 2025
Built on a foundation of traditional Mexican folk styles like mariachi, cumbia and norteño, Los Bukis was among the first successful Mexican bands to incorporate elements of contemporary pop and rock to their sound.
—Thania Garcia, Variety, 23 July 2025
Noun
Pegas, though, isn’t interested in having his contemporaries’ work subsumed by the Penguins and Random Houses of the world.
—John McDermott, Rolling Stone, 6 July 2025
When introduced, Porsche’s giant killer was small, light, and nimble compared to most of its contemporaries, but also less powerful than all but a few.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for contemporary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contemporary
Adjective
-
The concurrent blazes killed 30 people and destroyed more than 16,200 buildings – compared to 85 and 18,800 for the Camp inferno, which wiped out the Northern California town of Paradise.—
Jorge L. Ortiz,
USA Today,
22 July 2025
-
In Father of the Bride Part II, Annie (played by Kimberly Williams-Paisley) and her mom Nina (portrayed by Diane Keaton) also have concurrent pregnancies.—
Luke Chinman,
People.com,
22 July 2025
Adjective
-
Climate control systems can monitor and regulate all the inputs in modern greenhouses and hoop houses.—
Julie Weed,
Forbes.com,
26 July 2025
-
And more modern infrastructure often means more fuel efficient infrastructure.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
25 July 2025
Noun
-
According to the American Kennel Club, Labrador Retrievers are famously friendly and make excellent family companions.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 July 2025
-
Gatwa’s Doctor was regenerated into Billie Piper, who previously played companion Rose Tyler in 2005 and 2006.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
15 July 2025
Adjective
-
With a lockable synchronic-tilt mechanism and special Z-Shape design, the Kaiser 2 can accommodate a weight up to 180kg, quite a bit more than normal mechanisms on office chairs and the back can be reclined to an angle of 160 degrees which can be locked when not in rocking mode.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes,
11 Oct. 2021
-
For his last runway collection, unveiled in September, Michele constructed a parallel universe of side-by-side shows separated by a wall that when lifted revealed twins in identical looks in synchronic stride.—
Colleen Barry,
Fortune,
24 Nov. 2022
Adjective
-
The 151st Kentucky Derby set new records for all-sources handle and viewership.—
Olivia Evans,
The Courier-Journal,
24 July 2025
-
That's why the family was so heartened to welcome back customers, old and new.—
Bahar Anooshahr,
AZCentral.com,
24 July 2025
Noun
-
The 22-year-old Spanish singer-songwriter boasts an ethereal, ductile voice that sounds equally convincing singing solo with flamenco guitar accompaniment or over dance beats.—
Leila Cobo,
Billboard,
18 July 2025
-
The eight-track album features the accompaniment of a symphony-style orchestra, gospel choir and swampy, rock-style instrumentation.—
Marcus K. Dowling,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Adjective
-
That’s highly synchronous, resulting in many, many animals making that migration simultaneously.—
Noël Fletcher,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
-
The sheer number of DNA shifts that must have occurred in rapid succession to create this synchronous outcome also reflects the strong pressure horses were likely under to become fast and tireless.—
Lauren Leffer,
Popular Science,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
That’s no longer the case, thanks to innovations like Nova, which deliver impressive results that rival those of their less sustainable counterparts.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
15 July 2025
-
For Hacks, Megan Stalter and Paul W. Downs didn't receive any nods, though some of their counterparts like Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder did.—
Stephanie Wenger,
People.com,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contemporary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contemporary. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share