concomitance: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Academic
Quick answer
What does “concomitance” mean?
The fact of existing or occurring together with something else.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The fact of existing or occurring together with something else.
In philosophy, medicine, or theology, the simultaneous presence or occurrence of phenomena, especially in a causally or logically connected way (e.g., symptoms and disease, body and blood in Eucharist).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning. Spelling and usage are identical.
Connotations
Equally formal and academic in both varieties.
Frequency
Very low frequency in general usage, slightly higher in academic/theological contexts. No notable regional frequency variation.
Grammar
How to Use “concomitance” in a Sentence
concomitance of X (and Y)concomitance between X and Yin concomitance with XVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “concomitance” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The symptoms concomitant with the infection were severe.
American English
- A fee is concomitant with the service.
adverb
British English
- [Rarely used; 'concomitantly' is possible but very formal] The policy failed, and concomitantly, public trust eroded.
American English
- [Rarely used] Symptoms appeared concomitantly with the fever.
adjective
British English
- He discussed the concomitant rise in unemployment and inflation.
American English
- Power brings concomitant responsibilities.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Could describe the simultaneous occurrence of market trends.
Academic
Common in philosophy, theology, medicine, and social sciences to discuss correlated phenomena.
Everyday
Extremely rare; 'happening together' or 'at the same time' would be used instead.
Technical
Used in medical literature (symptom/disease), logic, and sacramental theology.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “concomitance”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “concomitance”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “concomitance”
- Using it as a synonym for 'consequence' (it's about togetherness, not causation).
- Misspelling: 'concomitance' (correct), not 'concomitence'.
- Using in informal contexts where simpler words ('along with', 'together with') suffice.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Correlation is a statistical relationship, which can be lagged. Concomitance specifically refers to simultaneous occurrence or existence.
It is strongly discouraged. It is a formal, academic word. Use 'happening together', 'at the same time', or 'along with' instead.
Philosophy and theology are the most common, followed by medical and scientific writing discussing simultaneous phenomena.
The adjective is 'concomitant'. It is more common than the noun and means 'naturally accompanying or associated'. E.g., 'the concomitant costs of expansion'.
The fact of existing or occurring together with something else.
Concomitance is usually formal, academic in register.
Concomitance: in British English it is pronounced /kənˈkɒm.ɪ.təns/, and in American English it is pronounced /kənˈkɑː.mə.təns/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for this specific noun]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'CONcurrent COMpanION circumstance' – things happening together as companions.
Conceptual Metaphor
EVENTS ARE TRAVELLING COMPANIONS (They journey together).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'concomitance' most appropriately used?