synchronicity

noun

syn·​chro·​nic·​i·​ty ˌsiŋ-krə-ˈni-sə-tē 

ˌsin-

plural synchronicities

1

: the quality or fact of being synchronous

2

: the coincidental occurrence of events and especially psychic events (such as similar thoughts in widely separated persons or a mental image of an unexpected event before it happens) that seem related but are not explained by conventional mechanisms of causality

—used especially in the psychology of Carl Gustav Jung

Did you know?

"It happens to everyone sooner or later: A certain number pops up wherever you go; an old friend you haven't seen in 20 years since high school appears the same day you're looking at her picture in a yearbook; you're singing a song and turn on the radio—and the same song is playing." Such coincidences, here described by Thomas Ropp in The Arizona Republic, March 29,1999, are examples of synchronicity. The concept is linked to the psychology of Carl Jung. Jung didn't coin the word (the "simultaneousness" sense of synchronicity was already in use), but he gave it special importance in his writings. Jung believed that such "meaningful coincidences" play an important role in our lives. Today, some people even look to synchronicities for spiritual guidance.

Examples of synchronicity in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That was only the beginning of some lovely bits of synchronicity. —Vulture Editors, Vulture, 13 Dec. 2024

In the meantime, be on the lookout for artistic synchronicities and, more importantly, follow your heart. —Valerie Mesa, People.com, 6 Dec. 2024

But the past is a roadmap to the concerns of the future, and few filmmakers have better exemplified this and found the synchronicity of the soundwaves of two distinct timeliness than Scott. —Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Nov. 2024

In fact, one 2023 study found that being aware of and finding meaning in synchronicities is linked to greater optimism, sense of meaning, and life satisfaction. —Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, 20 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Medical Definition

synchronicity

noun

syn·​chro·​nic·​i·​ty ˌsiŋ-krə-ˈnis-ət-ē, ˌsin- 

plural synchronicities

: the coincidental occurrence of events and especially psychic events (as similar thoughts in widely separated persons or a mental image of an unexpected event before it happens) that seem related but are not explained by conventional mechanisms of causality

—used especially in the psychology of C. G. Jung