lip-sync

American

[lip-singk] / ˈlɪpˌsɪŋk /

Or lipsynch,

verb (used with or without object)

to synchronize (recorded sound) with lip movements, as of an actor in a film.
to match lip movements with (recorded speech or singing).

She did a clumsy job of lip-syncing her big song.

noun

the technical process by which this is done.
the simultaneous recording of voice and picture, especially the synchronization of lip movements with recorded sound.

Etymology

Origin of lip-sync

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“If it’s a deepfake scam, you’ll often notice subtle irregularities like lip-sync mismatch, unnatural pauses while speaking and weird facial movements. You can catch these by analyzing the video frame by frame,” he said.

From Salon • Apr. 2, 2025

Its predecessor is Musical.ly, a social media platform where users would lip-sync to 15-second music clips.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2024

He also worked as a playback singer, the term for a vocalist who recorded tracks offscreen for actors to lip-sync over.

From New York Times • Feb. 27, 2024

On the other hand, feel free to lip-sync along with the songs and enjoy the concert atmosphere.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 1, 2023

With Cyndi Lauper and the Pointer Sisters blasting, she would wrap herself in knitted blankets to lip-sync and dance for her family.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 3, 2023

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023