coexist

American  

[koh-ig-zist] / ˌkoʊ ɪgˈzɪst /

verb (used without object)

• coexists,
  present (3rd person singular)
• coexisted,
  past participle,  past
• coexisting
  present participle

1. 

   to exist together or at the same time.

2. to exist separately or independently but peaceably, often while remaining rivals or adversaries.

   Although their ideologies differ greatly, the two great powers must coexist.

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coexist British  

/ ˌkəʊɪɡˈzɪst /

verb

1. to exist together at the same time or in the same place

2. to exist together in peace

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• coexistence
  noun
• coexistent
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• coexisting
  present
• coexisted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• coexist
  simple
• coexists
  simple
• have coexisted
  perfect
• has coexisted
  perfect
• am coexisting
  progressive
• are coexisting
  progressive
• is coexisting
  progressive
• have been coexisting
  perfect progressive
• has been coexisting
  perfect progressive

Past

• coexisted
  simple
• had coexisted
  perfect
• was coexisting
  progressive
• were coexisting
  progressive
• had been coexisting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will coexist
  simple
• will have coexisted
  perfect
• will be coexisting
  progressive
• will have been coexisting
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of coexist

First recorded in 1670–80; co- + exist

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Explanation

To coexist is to live in the same place or at the same time. If you, your roommate, and a cat all live in an apartment together, you can say the three of you coexist. You can use the verb coexist to simply mean "exist together," or it can mean something more specific — to live peacefully or tolerantly in the same place. Two countries might have to work to find a way to coexist despite years of conflict, for example. The word has been around since the 1600's, but it wasn't used in this second, diplomatic way until 1931. Coexist combines exist, "be" or "live," with the prefix co, "together."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

coexist coexists coexisted coexisting

More specialists can coexist with lower overall labor requirements.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026

“It’s really neat watching everyone coexist together. Everybody is very respectful,” says Warren.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026

The discovery suggests that the internal boundaries may actively interfere with superconductivity rather than simply coexist with it.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2026

“For now, tokenization therefore must coexist with much of the legacy financial infrastructure it ultimately seeks to improve.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

“No mom, you don’t. I live in an ecotone. Employment must coexist with goofing off. Responsibility must coexist with irresponsibility.”

From "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" by Benjamin Alire Saenz

This theme coexists alongside the church’s support of legitimate defense, and “there may be some tension between them,” said Philpott.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 26, 2026

French-language newspaper El Watan said the "symbolic" visit was "of great historical significance in a country where ancient Christian memory coexists with the Muslim reality of today".

From Barron's ● Feb. 26, 2026

Meanwhile, parents and experts say schools neglect students with math disabilities like dyscalculia, which affects up to 7% of the population and often coexists with dyslexia.

From Washington Times ● Oct. 17, 2023

The Octavia Lab, where one can explore virtual reality and design PCB circuit boards, coexists with scenes like that of a woman yelling uncontrollably in the history department.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2023

Throughout its range P. maniculatus coexists with one or more other species of Peromyscus that are more restricted in distribution.

From Comparative Ecology of Pinyon Mice and Deer Mice in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado by Charles L. Douglas

"Back then, the settlers were living alongside us, and we coexisted peacefully. They lived their lives and we lived ours," he told me.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

Those two things coexisted for a while, but not for long.

From Salon ● Jun. 30, 2026

Both aspects have coexisted for centuries, but the great popularization of the personality side gave rise to a new form of discrimination, astrological prejudice.

From Slate ● May 5, 2026

Researchers are exploring whether these groups competed, coexisted peacefully, or worked together in meaningful ways.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 12, 2026

Would she believe that Poles, Jews, Ukrainians, Armenians, and Hungarians had all coexisted peacefully in Lwów before the war?

From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys

The two patterns together create the checkerboard arrangement of coexisting electronic phases.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026

Instead, scientists will target gases coexisting in ways that can’t be explained by geology alone.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026

In his fall 1971 convocation address at the University of Alberta, McLuhan told students that in an electronic world, people become “discarnate data, a sort of disembodied spirit coexisting and functioning simultaneously in diverse locations.”

From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2025

"That paradox - of cruelty and warmth coexisting - is what made the finale so moving," said Mr Jeong, the film blogger.

From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2025

At some point my mom moved to a separate bedroom in the house, and from then on they were married in name only, not even cohabitating but coexisting.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah

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