This application relates to wireless communication systems, and more particularly to distributed synchronization of “internet of everything” (IoE) devices to a common timing through opportunistic synchronization with user equipment (UE). Multiple IoE devices within proximity to each other establish device to device (D2D) links. When an IoE device receives an updated timing synchronization signal from a UE, the IoE device can broadcast the updated timing synchronization signal to other IoE devices directly or via a multi-hop forwarding scheme via the D2D links. Multiple groups of IoE devices can be synchronized to the same timing synchronization signal such that if and when IoE devices from the different groups come into proximity, the IoE devices will find each other and can merge into a larger group of synchronized IoE devices with minimal searching overhead and, therefore, minimal power consumption.