What does concurrently mean?
'Concurrently' is an adverb meaning at the same time — used to describe events, activities, or conditions that occur during the same period or instant rather than one after another. It appears frequently in formal contexts such as law, computing, project management, and government, where precision about timing matters. A person might hold two offices concurrently, a computer might process several tasks concurrently, or two investigations might proceed concurrently. The word often pairs with 'with' ('run concurrently with') to make explicit what else is taking place. Its connotations are neutral and precise rather than emotional, signalling coordination or overlap rather than competition. Derived from the Latin verb 'currere', meaning to run, via 'concurrire' (to run together), it belongs to a family that includes 'concurrent', 'concurrence', and 'occur'. For writers needing to convey simultaneity with clarity and authority, 'concurrently' remains the standard choice.
adverbAt the same time; existing, happening, or done during the same period or instant as something else.
- Happening, existing, or operating at the same time as something else.
"The two trials ran concurrently in adjacent courtrooms."
"She served concurrently as chair of the finance committee and a member of the audit board."
"Several software updates were released concurrently across all platforms."
The Latin root of 'concurrently' is the same one that gives us 'currency' — money and multitasking literally run on the same current.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of concurrently
'Concurrently' derives from the Latin verb 'concurrere', meaning 'to run together' or 'to meet', formed from 'con-' (together) and 'currere' (to run). The adjective 'concurrent' entered English from Latin 'concurrēns', present participle of 'concurrere'; the adverb form developed later by adding '-ly'. The same root 'currere' gives English 'occur', 'recur', 'course', and 'currency', making 'concurrently' part of a broad family of words originally tied to running or flowing.
Related word forms
How concurrently is actually used
Formal-to-neutral register, common in legal, technical, academic, and administrative writing. Often used with 'with' to specify what it coincides with. In legal contexts, 'concurrent sentences' means prison terms served at the same time rather than back to back.
Easily confused with concurrently
'Currently' means at the present time, while 'concurrently' means happening at the same time as something else — the two are unrelated despite the shared 'curr' root.