Concomitant

A 'concomitant' refers to something that naturally accompanies or is associated with another thing. It implies a close connection, often a simultaneous occurrence or a cause-and-effect relationship, although not necessarily implying causality. The concomitant element often occurs in the same period of time, alongside or in the same context as the primary element being discussed. It emphasizes the relationship between two or more things happening together, emphasizing association or parallelism rather than being the primary focus.

Concomitant meaning with examples

• The rise in inflation was a concomitant of increased government spending during the economic recovery. As the government poured money into stimulus programs, the price of goods and services naturally began to climb. This demonstrates the direct association between the two factors within the same timeframe. The rise in prices followed the rise in spending, closely linked together.
• Headaches are a common concomitant symptom with the onset of the flu. Along with the fever and body aches, the headache is often one of the first physical signs of illness. The headache occurs alongside the primary symptoms, indicating a likely parallel experience for many individuals. The headache's appearance is directly linked to the other primary symptoms.
• While studying the effects of medication, a scientist discovered that drowsiness was a concomitant outcome with the drug's administration. Participants reported feeling sluggish shortly after taking the drug. This means the drowsiness always appeared in conjunction with the medication and provided researchers key insights into the drug's mechanism of action.
• In a historical context, societal upheaval was a concomitant of widespread famine. The societal structure and power dynamics of society are also destabilized when famine arrives, with the hunger causing civil unrest. Both events of societal upset and famine occurred in the same historical period and shared a close connection.