concurrently

Everyday

1. (formal) Concurrently means at the same time as something else. tree →
2. In law, sentences that run concurrently are served at the same time, not one after another. tree →

In the lessons

A formal, exam-style word. In maths and science problems it tells you that two things happen together, so their times overlap rather than add up. In computing, programs that run concurrently do several jobs at once. Phrases: run concurrently, happen concurrently.

Examples

• The two films were shown concurrently on different screens. tree →
• She studied piano and violin concurrently. tree →
• Two machines ran concurrently and filled 300 bottles in an hour. tree →
• The tests were held concurrently in all the classrooms. tree →
• The computer can run several programs concurrently. tree →
• His two sentences will run concurrently, so he will be in prison for two years, not four. tree →
• Concurrently, the second team was building the bridge. tree →

Note

Formal; in everyday speech say «at the same time». Maths trap: if two tasks of 2 hours each run concurrently, the total time is 2 hours, not 4; if they run one after the other (consecutively), it is 4 hours. Opposite of «consecutively».