Which definition best matches the word concurrent?

• A. contemporary
• B. happening or existing at the same time
• C. simultaneous
• D. prior

Answer: (B)

Concurrent means existing or happening at the same time. That broad sense is exactly what the option captures: things occurring in the same time frame, whether or not they are perfectly synchronized. Contemporary would point to the present era or current time, which is a different idea. Prior means earlier. Simultaneous is close, but it’s more specific—happening at the exact same moment. Concurrent is the broader, everyday use that includes overlapping or ongoing occurrences. For example, two programs running at the same time are concurrent; they don’t have to start and finish in perfect lockstep, just be active during the same period.