asynchronous

[ ey-sing-kruh-nuhs ]

adjective

1. not occurring at the same time:

   The factory has two asynchronous production lines with end products paired in final assembly and shipped to buyers.

2. (especially in education) occurring or able to be completed independently according to a person’s own self-paced schedule or within a broad window of time, but not coordinated to be completed in real time with another participant:

   Distance learners may earn participation points by attending real-time video chats, or by posting messages and replies in asynchronous discussion boards.

3. Digital Technology. relating to or being a computer operation that can occur independently, without waiting for another event:

   Asynchronous responses are returned to the client side without blocking for the completion of the database processing request.

4. Computers, Telecommunications. of, relating to, or operating without the use of fixed-time intervals coordinated by a clock, as data transmitted one byte or character at a time.

Other Words From

• a·syn·chro·nous·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of asynchronous¹

First recorded in 1740–50; a- ⁶ + synchronous

Example Sentences

During the part of the week that the returning cohort is not in school, the children will spend two days learning remotely, under an asynchronous model in which they study independently without any form of live instruction.

From Washington Post

I think people are disengaged in big video meetings — they just go in and multitask, and Slack is great, it’s instant and asynchronous, but… I just don’t see most companies doing distributed work in a text-first way.

From TechCrunch

I have to meet with leaders across all cross-functional groups, figure out how asynchronous workflows are being used right now, how the leaders wish they were used more.

From Digiday

For example, in order to truly embrace asynchronous work—crucial when teams are not in the same office or time zone—GitLab makes many meetings optional but records and documents everything.

From Fortune

A potential second-order effect, in this case, is a change in the agency workflows — maybe transforming some parts of the creative process into an asynchronous one.

From Search Engine Land

The machine is thus internally synchronous with step counter instructions being asynchronous.

From Project Gutenberg

This operation is completely asynchronous and is therefore handled differently than any of the preceding in-out operations.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• nonsynchronous

More About Asynchronous

What does asynchronous mean?

Asynchronous refers to something not occurring at the same time as another thing.

The opposite of asynchronous is synchronous, which means “occurring at the same time” or “simultaneous.” A face-to-face conversation is considered synchronous, because people are communicating in real time, whereas corresponding over email and text message—where the recipient can respond at a later time—is asynchronous.

Example: The server could only download updates for each game asynchronously, one after the other.

Where does asynchronous come from?

Asynchronous is recorded by the mid-1700s. It combines the Greek-based prefix a-, meaning “without, not,” and synchronous, meaning “occurring at the same time.” The word synchronous itself is also from Greek, combining syn- (“together”) and chronos (“time”).

The term asynchronous has specialized applications in several disciplines:

• In computer programming, asynchronous programming refers to a program that can only begin a new task once the preceding operation is completed.
• In education, asynchronous learning is an educational method that allows students to work at their own pace outside the constraints of a traditional classroom. Email and online discussion boards are common tools.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms of asynchronous?

• asynchronously (adverb)
• asynchrony (noun)

What are some synonyms for asynchronous?

 

• serial
• sequential
• nonsynchronous

What are some words that share a root or word element with asynchronous?

 

• apathy
• apolitical
• synchronicity
• synch

 

What are some words that often get used in discussing asynchronous?

 

• asynchronous transmission
• communication
• distance learning
• real-time
• face-to-face

 

What are some words asynchronous may be commonly confused with?

• synchronism
• synchronous

How is asynchronous used in real life?

Asynchronous, as noted, is often used in reference to computer programming, online education, and digital communication.

🐍📰 This step-by-step tutorial gives you the tools you need to start making asynchronous programming techniques a part of your repertoire. You'll learn how to use Python async features to take advantage of IO processes and free up your CPU https://t.co/fNYGEiY2ex

— Real Python (@realpython) September 26, 2019

Email is: permanent and asynchronous

Slack is: ephemeral and synchronous.

What work communication platform is effectively permanent and synchronous?

— Zak Kukoff (@zck) September 26, 2019

Death Stranding will have an “asynchronous” multiplayer mode, meaning that players can in a way impact each other, but there is no PvP or Co-Op. #deathstranding #multiplayer #PlayStation #PlayStationPlus #gamebuzhttps://t.co/q1c7ozAygW

— GameBuz (@game_buz) September 26, 2019

Try using asynchronous!

Which student below, A or B, is learning in an asynchronous environment?

A. This student is taking a class that involves working through online modules, post threads on a discussion board, checking in with the professor over email.
B. This student is taking a class that involves short lectures followed by group discussions and activities facilitated by the teacher.