sync

American  

[singk] / sɪŋk /

synch

noun

1. synchronization, or the condition of moving, operating, acting, etc., at the same rate and exactly together (usually preceded by in orout of ).

   The picture and the soundtrack were out of sync.

2. harmony or harmonious relationship (usually preceded by in orout of ).

   Management wants to be in sync with the client's wishes.

3. Computers. the process of connecting devices or computers, or of uploading data from one to the other or to a network or data store, so that all connected devices and repositories share current data.

   You can disconnect your phone from the computer after the sync finishes.

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verb (used with object)

1. Computers. Also

   1. to connect (devices or computers) so that they share current data, often the data generated by a particular app and stored on one of the devices or computers.

      Every few days I sync my fitness tracker with my computer so my averages are updated on the computer.

   2. to upload (data) from one device or computer to another, or to a network or data store, so that all connected devices and repositories share current data.

      This app lets you sync your photos across multiple devices.

      When several of us are working on code in the same program, we have to sync changes frequently.

2. to synchronize, or cause to move, operate, act, etc., at the same rate and exactly together.

   The cheerleaders and baton twirlers synced their movements perfectly to the band.

3. to harmonize or align.

   It is extremely important to sync your priorities with those of your teammates.

verb (used without object)

1. Computers. Also to initiate or undergo a connection between devices or computers, or with a network or data store, to share current data.

   Your computer needs to sync with a server on the west coast at the end of each day’s work.

2. to be in or come into harmony or alignment.

   Despite my fears, my new roommate and I synced almost right away.

   Project management should sync with organizational strategy so we all know how to plan.

sync British  

/ sɪŋk /

verb

1. an informal word for synchronize

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noun

1. an informal word for synchronization See synchronization

   in sync

   out of sync

Usage

What does sync mean? Sync means to cause to move or operate at the same time, as in My phone synced with my wireless earbuds, and now I can listen to music on my phone. Sync also means to occur at the same time or rate, as in The train and bus schedules sync up so that passengers can catch the bus when they arrive at the train station. Sync also describes the state of being in harmony or the relationship between two things that run at the same time, as in Felix gets frustrated when the video and audio are out of sync. Sync is a shortened form of synchronization and can be spelled synch. Example: Sync the headphones with the system and then give it a listen.

Etymology

Origin of sync

First recorded in 1930–35; shortened from synchronize ( def. )

Explanation

Sync, short for "synchronize," is a verb for making things work together. When you lip-sync, you are moving your mouth to exactly match someone else's words spoken or sung at precisely the same time. The verb sync, an abbreviation for "synchronize," appeared in 1929 to describe the matching of sound and picture in the new "talkies." The variation of being "in sync" appeared in 1961. The word now means any type of such matching up, including personal relationships. If you are "in sync" with another person, you are "on the same page," you get along easily. The phrase has also become popular with the growth of electronics such as computers, phones, and other communication devices that can be connected, or "synced."

Example Sentences

When we catch up with them in the present day, the twins live a life perfectly in sync, their movements in rhythm, their telepathic communication expressed on-screen in typewriter-font subtitles.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

There are countless examples of what can happen when they are not in sync.

From BBC • May 2, 2026

This happens because electrons form pairs that move together, often compared to dancers moving in sync across a ballroom floor.

From Science Daily • Apr. 27, 2026

The group sells official BTS glow sticks for $64 that sync to the music of live shows—but don’t work for subsequent concerts, requiring that followers buy the next-generation version.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

The three of us bowed in sync, and then we took our individual bows.

From "Auggie & Me" by R. J. Palacio

Related Words

• coincide
• conform
• correspond
• harmonize
• jibe