concurrence

noun

con·​cur·​rence kən-ˈkər-ən(t)s 

-ˈkə-rən(t)s,

kän-

1

a

: agreement or union in action : cooperation

b(1)

: agreement in opinion or design

(2)

: consent

obtained the written concurrence of the attorney general

2

: a coincidence of equal powers in law

3

a

: the simultaneous occurrence of events or circumstances

The concurrence of heavy rain and strong winds delayed the plane's departure.

b

: the meeting of concurrent lines in a point

Synonyms

• coexistence
• coincidence
• concurrency

Examples of concurrence in a Sentence

the concurrence of my birthday and the concert by my favorite band made my preference for a birthday present pretty obvious

looked for some sign of concurrence among the delegates to the conference

Recent Examples on the Web

That needs to change: any presidential order to launch nuclear weapons that is not in response to an enemy nuclear attack should require the concurrence of the secretary of defense and the attorney general. —Richard K. Betts, Foreign Affairs, 13 Feb. 2018

Separate concurrences hint at where justices may diverge on the other cases, but the decision is still worth cheering as a victory for speech. —The Editors, National Review, 3 June 2024

As a preliminary matter, Justice Clarence Thomas (under fire for yet more unreported lavish gifts from right-wing billionaire Harlan Crow) filed a concurrence that was downright scary. —Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post, 17 June 2024

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a concurrence in the high court's July 1 presidential immunity ruling that questioned the lawfulness of special counsels. —Aysha Bagchi, USA TODAY, 5 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "concentration," borrowed from Medieval Latin concurrentia "coming together, simultaneous occurrence," noun derivative of Latin concurrent-, concurrens "running together, concurrent"

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

Kids Definition

concurrence

noun

con·​cur·​rence kən-ˈkər-ən(t)s 

-ˈkə-rən(t)s,

kän-

1

: agreement in action, opinion, or intent : cooperation

2

: consent entry 2

3

: a coming together : conjunction

Legal Definition

concurrence

noun

con·​cur·​rence kən-ˈkər-əns 

1

: the simultaneous occurrence of events or circumstances

2

: an agreement in judgment

specifically : a judge's or justice's separate opinion that differs in reasoning but agrees in the decision of the court