synchronize

Language: en

🇺🇸 /ˈsɪŋkrəˌnaɪz/

📖 Definitions

  1. verb
    To cause two or more events, actions, or processes to occur at the same time or at the same rate.; To cause clocks, watches, or other timekeeping devices to show the same time.; To match the timing of sound (especially dialogue or music) with corresponding visual action in film or video.; To coordinate or harmonize different elements so that they work together smoothly.; In computing, to update data in two or more locations so that they contain the same information.; In electronics, to lock the frequency and phase of an oscillator or signal to that of a reference signal.; In physics, to cause oscillating systems to oscillate at the same frequency and phase.; In mechanical engineering, to match the rotational speed of two shafts or gears before engaging them, as in a synchromesh gearbox.

🔗 Details

Word forms

3rd sing.: synchronizes Past: synchronized Past part.: synchronized Pres part.: synchronizing

Collocations

synchronize withsynchronize datasynchronize clockssynchronize watchessynchronize files

Derivatives

synchronizationsynchronysynchronoussynchronouslysynchronizerasynchronousdesynchronize

Synonyms

coordinatealignharmonizesyncmatch

Antonyms

desynchronize

Commonly confused

synchronise
EN: 'Synchronise' is simply the British English spelling variant of 'synchronize'; they are identical in meaning.
sync
EN: 'Sync' is an informal abbreviation of 'synchronize' commonly used in technical and casual contexts.

Spelling tips

EN: Remember the 'chr' sequence in the middle: syn-chro-nize. A common error is dropping the 'r' to produce '*synchonize'. British English uses 'synchronise' with an 's' instead of 'z'.

💬 Examples

  1. The dancers synchronized their movements to the music.

  2. All the computers on the network are synchronized to the same atomic clock.

  3. The editor spent hours synchronizing the audio track with the footage.

  4. The project manager synchronized the efforts of all the departments to meet the deadline.

  5. The app automatically synchronizes your contacts across all your devices.

  6. The phase-locked loop synchronizes the output frequency to the input reference.

  7. The coupled pendulums eventually synchronized their swings.

  8. The synchromesh mechanism synchronizes the gear speeds before the teeth engage.