At the same time vs Meanwhile vs Simultaneously

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

At the same time

Top 2,000 (common)

Meanwhile

Top 2,000 (common) B1 adverb

Simultaneously

Top 2,000 (common) C1 adverb

	At the same time	Meanwhile	Simultaneously
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //æt ðə seɪm taɪm// 🇺🇸 //æt ðə seɪm taɪm//	🇬🇧 /["/ˈmiːnwaɪl/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈmiːnwaɪl/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˌsɪmlˈteɪniəsli/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˌsaɪmlˈteɪniəsli/"]/
Meaning	Occurring simultaneously or together.	At the same time as something else happens.	At the same time as something else.
Example	They left the house at the same time.	Leave the cake to cool completely. Meanwhile, make the topping.	The game will be broadcast simultaneously on TV and radio.
Register	Neutral	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level	-	B1	C1
Part of speech		adverb	adverb
Collocations	do two things at the same time, speak at the same time, work at the same time, occur at the same time, feel at the same time	meanwhile, back at the ranch, meanwhile, in another part of town, meanwhile, across the street	happen simultaneously, simultaneously occur, perform simultaneously
Antonyms	-	afterwards, later	sequentially, consecutively, successively
Common mistakes	Confusing 'at the same time' with 'at the same moment'., Using it with only one subject., Placing it incorrectly in the sentence.	Omitting the comma before 'meanwhile' when used at the beginning of a sentence., 'Meanwhile' is sometimes misused in informal contexts where 'in the meantime' might be more appropriate.	Using it incorrectly to mean 'separately'., Confusing it with 'simultaneous' which is an adjective., Misplacing it in a sentence which can alter the meaning.
Usage notes	Use when describing events happening together. Avoid in very formal contexts; more suitable for everyday conversations.	Use 'meanwhile' to connect two actions occurring at the same time, typically in writing or formal speech. Avoid using it in very casual conversations.	Use 'simultaneously' to describe two or more actions happening at the same time. It works well in both spoken and written contexts but may sound overly formal in casual conversation.

See it in real clips

but at the same time, Alice is over there unconscious.

The Queen Gambit › S1 E1

At the same time.

- Why don't you tell him at the same time why ? - Don't worry, I will.

but at the same time, Alice is over there unconscious.

The Queen Gambit › S1 E1

At the same time.

At the same time

We create and perceive our world simultaneously.

We'd have to hit all banks simultaneously. SWAT teams, backup.

We create and perceive our world simultaneously.

We'd have to hit all banks simultaneously. SWAT teams, backup.

Simultaneously

Frequently asked questions: At the same time vs Meanwhile vs Simultaneously

What's the difference between At the same time, Meanwhile, and Simultaneously?

At the same time: Occurring simultaneously or together. Meanwhile: At the same time as something else happens. Simultaneously: At the same time as something else.

Which is more advanced: At the same time, Meanwhile, and Simultaneously?

Simultaneously is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.

Can you show an example of each?

At the same time: They left the house at the same time. Meanwhile: Leave the cake to cool completely. Meanwhile, make the topping. Simultaneously: The game will be broadcast simultaneously on TV and radio.

Can I use At the same time, Meanwhile, and Simultaneously interchangeably?

Not always. At the same time, Meanwhile, and Simultaneously are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.