simultaneously
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /sˌɪməltˈeɪniəsli/
US
- /ˌsaɪməlˈteɪniəsli/
Description
- at the same time
- concurrently
- together
- in unison
- at once
Imagine a skilled pianist playing a complex piece: both hands move across the keys simultaneously, at the same time. It is not about doing one thing and then another. Instead, it shows actions or events happening together. You might eat breakfast and read the news simultaneously, or two separate things can happen at once, like a sudden rainstorm and a ringing doorbell. The word often suggests coordination, but it can also simply describe events that overlap in time. Even different feelings can come at once, like the sadness of a goodbye and the excitement of a new adventure.
The word simultaneously describes events or actions happening at the same time. It usually implies that there is no clear sequence of "first this, then that" because the actions or events overlap in time or unfold together.
You will often hear it in scientific or technical contexts: "The experiment measured changes in temperature and pressure simultaneously." You also hear it in everyday life: "She was handling a conference call, a crying toddler, and a boiling pot of pasta simultaneously." In these cases, the word can suggest coordination, complexity, or the challenge of managing more than one thing at once.
It is important to note that simultaneously is stronger than simply saying things happened during the same day, week, or period. It usually means they happened together, not just in the same general time frame. For example, you can work on two projects during the same afternoon, but they are only happening simultaneously when you are dealing with both at once. If a fire alarm and your phone ring simultaneously, the two sounds arrive together.
The word often carries a sense of efficiency or challenge, especially when it describes someone managing several demands at once. It is also useful for neutral descriptions of events that happen together, whether they are carefully coordinated or simply overlapping in time. In that way, it is a flexible word for moments when life, work, sound, motion, or emotion all unfold together.
Examples
- 1
Power outage
The lights in every room went out simultaneously.
- 2
Button controls
Please press both buttons simultaneously.
- 3
Translation work
The translator listened to the speech and typed notes simultaneously.
- 4
Collaboration tools
The app lets you edit the document and chat with your team simultaneously.
- 5
Mixed feelings
He felt simultaneously proud of his progress and worried about the exam.
- 6
Problem solving
We were trying to solve two problems simultaneously, so the meeting took longer than expected.
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- simultaneouslyadverb