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sync
/sɪŋk/
make things work together
The team needs to sync their schedules to meet the deadline.
The team must coordinate their schedules to meet the deadline.
TechnologyBusiness
informaltechnical
to coordinate or cause things to match or happen simultaneously
Please sync your calendar with the project timeline.
Please update your calendar to match the project timeline.
The devices sync automatically over Wi-Fi.
The devices update their data simultaneously via Wi-Fi.
Common in technology and business contexts; often used with devices, systems, or schedules.
informal
a state of harmony or coordination
Their ideas were finally in sync after hours of discussion.
Their ideas aligned perfectly after discussion.
Used to describe people, ideas, or systems working well together.
Collocations
Antonyms
Pro Tip
Tech Context
Use 'sync' when referring to automatic data updates between devices (e.g., 'sync contacts to the cloud'). Prefer 'synchronize' in formal documentation.
Gold Rule
Verb vs. Noun
As a verb, 'sync' is informal and often used in speech (e.g., 'Let’s sync our calendars'). As a noun, it’s technical (e.g., 'There was a sync error').
Word Origin
Shortened form of 'synchronize' (from Greek 'synchronos', meaning 'simultaneous'). First recorded in the early 20th century as a verb, later extended to informal contexts.
Usage Notes
Primarily used in technology and business contexts. Informal in speech; 'synchronize' is preferred in formal writing. Avoid using as a noun unless in technical jargon (e.g., 'a sync error').
Word Breakdown
sync
shortened form of 'synchronize'
rootEnglish Dictionary