10 Better Ways to Say “At the Same Time” In Formal Writing

In formal writing, you might want to talk about how things happened “at the same time.” “At the same time” can mean that things happen together or that a new fact should be taken into account. This article will explore some of the best formal synonyms for it.

The preferred synonyms are “nevertheless,” “even so,” and “simultaneously.” “Nevertheless” and “even so” work well to introduce a new fact or idea to the sentence. “Simultaneously” shows that something happens at the same time as another situation, which can be used in some cases.

Nevertheless

“Nevertheless” is the best synonym for “at the same time.” It allows you to introduce new information to consider, which is one of the uses that “at the same time” has in formal writing.

“Nevertheless” (and “nonetheless”) allow you to disregard the previous thing you stated. For example, if that thing would likely have a negative impact on an outcome, but the outcome still turns out positive, “nevertheless” is a good way of disregarding it.

You’ll find that “nevertheless” is one of the most common choices when it comes to formal writing. It’s a great way to start a new sentence when you want to consider how something might have been affected by what you wrote.

• We needed to be quiet about these things. Nevertheless, it’s important that some things are spoken about to keep up appearances.
• I know what you were saying. Nevertheless, I don’t have time to run you through my arguments right now.
• She wasn’t told about the issues. Nevertheless, there were a few things that she knew needed to be fixed.

Even So

“Even so” is another great choice. It is synonymous with “at the same time” when it is used to introduce new information. You can use it when the information you’re adding shows that there wasn’t a direct connection coming from your previous sentence.

If you’re going to use “even so” correctly, you need to make sure it connects in some way to your previous sentence. It won’t work if you start a new sentence with “even so” without making any kind of connection to a previous one.

• We waited for as long as we could. Even so, there was only so much time we could waste before moving forward.
• I told Nikita that it wasn’t going to happen. Even so, she made sure that she was going to be there to see me off.
• I think a few errors in their policy choices need to be discussed. Even so, I’ll be there to talk to them about it.

Simultaneously

“Simultaneously” offers a different meaning for “at the same time.” You can use it to show that two or more things are happening at once or happening together.

While this meaning for “at the same time” isn’t as common in formal writing, it’s still suitable to use it. We thought it was best to include this meaning to make sure you can cover all aspects of your academic writing.

• We made short work of that. Simultaneously, we found that there were a few issues that we needed to fix quickly.
• I knew you were going to do that. Simultaneously, I made sure that there were no repeating factors that you could change.
• They were told to stop fighting. Simultaneously, Harriet and Michael thought that was going to be the end of the road.

Concurrently

“Concurrently” is an alternative to “simultaneously.” It shows that two things happen at the same time or that they are supposed to happen together. It’s not as popular as “simultaneously,” but it still works in some cases.

Generally, “concurrently” is the last resort. It’s not something you’ll find a lot of people using, but it still works. Many people will think that you’re trying too hard to come up with a good synonym if you use this one, which is why you should be careful.

• Of course, some things needed to change. Concurrently, some people were not ready for that.
• The policies were not yet completed. Concurrently, people had gathered to protest before anything had been announced.
• I thought long and hard about it. Concurrently, there seem to be a few people who do not agree with my problems.

Still

“Still” introduces a new piece of information that needs considering. Interestingly, it also shows that the new piece of information might not have a direct relationship with the previous thing you wrote about.

This could be useful, as not all connections are direct. For example, if you said one thing went wrong in a situation, you could say, “still, the overall situation was positive.” Even though there was a negative issue, it did not affect the overall outcome.

• I waited for as long as I could. Still, there were some things that I simply had to get done. I couldn’t wait any longer for them.
• She told me that long ago. Still, I knew she wanted to discuss something with me again. I made myself available.
• You couldn’t have been more wrong about that. Still, I appreciate you telling me how you feel about all of this.

After Everything

“After everything” allows you (or the reader) to consider everything you’ve written. It works in formal writing to show that something hasn’t changed the expected outcome.

It might also work well to use this one when showing what you expected to happen. It works in this case when the expected outcome comes true, meaning that you’d planned for everything to go in a particular way.

• I wanted to be there. After everything, I wanted to be the one that was going to support my coworkers.
• There were a few issues with the report. After everything, someone still hadn’t finished entering their data.
• After everything, I wanted a chance to prove myself. I wanted to show everything that I was still capable.

Having Said That

“Having said that” shows that additional information might come into play. You can use “having said that” to almost disregard the previous thing you spoke about in your writing.

This gives you a chance to explain what you might want to talk about to your reader. For an academic paper, it can work well to show what you think about something (especially if it’s a contradictory thought).

• We wanted to talk about it. Having said that, it seemed like there weren’t going to be any good opportunities to talk.
• I made sure to control all of the relevant factors. Having said that, there was still the chance of human error interfering with the product.
• We could have done all of this by now. Having said that, I’m glad we spent a bit more time getting through it.

Just The Same

“Just the same” is a good way to show that another piece of information does not impact something. You can include “just the same” at the start of a new sentence to show that the outcome of the previous one does not directly impact it.

Since this is the fairly common usage for “at the same time,” it makes sense that “just the same” is a suitable replacement for it.

• I needed you to be there for me. Just the same, I’m glad that you’re here now. I suppose there’s still time to work through this.
• She wanted nothing more to do with the project. Just the same, it was as much her hard work as it was my own.
• There were a few tasks left for them to do. Just the same, someone had to get back to the office to talk to the boss.

In Any Event

“In any event” shows that a new piece of information is not affected by a previous one. In this context, “any event” means “whatever the case” or “whatever happens.” There are no direct connections that can be made here.

Again, this is a fairly common way to use “at the same time.” That’s what makes it a good formal replacement.

• In any event, it seems like the outcome was not what was expected. There are a few things that need to be changed.
• In any event, I made it clear that I wasn’t going to be able to help them. I think they appreciated my honesty.
• It was a difficult task to complete. In any event, getting to the end of it was certainly a rewarding experience.

At Any Rate

“At any rate” is almost identical to “in any event.” You can use the two phrases synonymously, which allows them both to work well in academic writing or formal papers.

This time, “rate” is used in place of “event.” It still means “whatever happens,” and it allows you to talk about a new piece of information that isn’t directly impacted by the previous one.

• I could have told you all about that. At any rate, I’m just glad that you were able to come to your senses about it.
• The research papers have all been filed. At any rate, it should be much easier for us to come to an arrangement now.
• There were some new candidates available for hire. At any rate, it seemed like none of them was a truly “good” fit.