Coincidence vs. Happenstance: What's the Difference?
Coincidence and Happenstance Definitions
Coincidence
The state or fact of occupying the same relative position or area in space.
Happenstance
A chance circumstance
"I drove loops around the nearby parish school ... hoping to bump into her casually and claim it was mere happenstance" (Hart Seely).
Coincidence
A sequence of events that although accidental seems to have been planned or arranged.
Happenstance
(uncountable) The chance or random quality of an event or circumstance.
By happenstance
Coincidence
Of objects, the property of being coincident; occurring at the same time or place.
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Happenstance
(countable) A chance or random event or circumstance.
Our meeting today was a happenstance, but I'm glad we crossed paths.
The happenstances of life
Coincidence
Of events, the appearance of a meaningful connection when there is none.
That the two writers were born and died on the same day is just a coincidence, although there are many conspiracy theories about it.
Happenstance
An event that might have been arranged although it was really accidental
Coincidence
(analysis) A coincidence point.
Coincidence
(geometry) A fixed point of a correspondence; a point of a variety corresponding to itself under a correspondence.
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Coincidence
The condition of occupying the same place in space; as, the coincidence of circles, surfaces, etc.
Coincidence
The condition or fact of happening at the same time; as, the coincidence of the deaths of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
Coincidence
Exact correspondence in nature, character, result, circumstances, etc.; concurrence; agreement.
The very concurrence and coincidence of so many evidences . . . carries a great weight.
Those who discourse . . . of the nature of truth . . . affirm a perfect coincidence between truth and goodness.
Coincidence
An event that might have been arranged although it was really accidental
Coincidence
The quality of occupying the same position or area in space;
He waited for the coincidence of the target and the cross hairs
Coincidence
The temporal property of two things happening at the same time;
The interval determining the coincidence gate is adjustable