Definition
To coincide is to occupy the same point — in time, space, or opinion — while belonging to different paths. From the Latin co-incidere, 'to fall upon together'. Festivals coincide with full moons; an interview coincides with a strike; two rivals' interests briefly coincide. The word insists on independence: neither schedule bent for the other, which is exactly what makes coincidence feel like fate — two orbits, each obeying only itself, agreeing on a single moment.
Examples
- Her visit happened to coincide with a surge in tourist arrivals.
- The book's release was timed to coincide with the centenary.
- On the rare points where the two theories coincide, both are probably right.
Collocations
coincide with·timed to coincide·interests coincide·happen to coincide
Synonyms
co-occur·overlap·concur·align·converge
Antonyms
diverge·differ·clash
Word family
coincidence (noun)·coincidental (adjective)·coincidentally (adverb)
In TOEFL & IELTS
'Coincide with' is the tested form: TOEFL passages use it for schedules and geological timing ('the eruptions coincided with the extinction event'), and questions paraphrase it as 'happen at the same time'. In IELTS Task 1, 'the peak coincided with the holiday season' is the precise way to align two lines on a chart. Note the drift in the noun — 'coincidence' now suggests lucky accident, while the verb keeps the neutral academic sense.