WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
syn•chro•nize /ˈsɪŋkrəˌnaɪz/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object], -nized, -niz•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- to cause to show the agreed upon time, as one clock or watch with another:Let's synchronize our watches and meet in an hour.
- to cause to go on, move, operate, work, etc., at the same rate or speed or exactly together:The skating couple had to synchronize their movements perfectly.
- Show Business
- to match the sound and action in (a filmed or taped scene).
syn•chro•nize
(sing′krə nīz′),USA pronunciation v., -nized, -niz•ing.
v.t.
v.i.
syn′chro•ni•za′tion, n.
syn′chro•niz′er, n.
v.t.
- to cause to indicate the same time, as one timepiece with another:Synchronize your watches.
- to cause to go on, move, operate, work, etc., at the same rate and exactly together:They synchronized their steps and walked on together.
- Cinema, Show Business[Motion Pictures, Television.]
- to cause (sound and action) to match precisely:to synchronize the sound of footsteps with the actor's movements.
- to match the sound and action in (a scene).
- to cause to agree in time of occurrence;
assign to the same time or period, as in a history. - Electricityto adjust the periodicities of (two or more electrical or mechanical devices) so that the periods are equal or integral multiples or fractions of each other.
v.i.
- to occur at the same time or coincide or agree in time.
- to go on, move, operate, work, etc., at the same rate and exactly together* recur together.
- Greek synchronízein to be contemporary with, equivalent. to sýnchron(os) synchronous + -izein -ize
- 1615–25
syn′chro•niz′er, n.
'synchronization' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
NAVSTAR Global Positioning System
- blip
- clapperboard
- handshake
- jitter
- lip-sync
- looping
- post-looping
- post-synchronization
- postproduction
- prerecord
- sound camera
- stroboscope
- sync
- synchro-
- timing belt
- zeitgeber