synergy

American  

[sin-er-jee] / ˈsɪn ər dʒi /

noun

synergies plural

1. the interaction of elements that when combined produce a total effect that is greater than the sum of the individual elements, contributions, etc.; synergism.

2. Physiology, Medicine/Medical. the cooperative action of two or more muscles, nerves, or the like.

3. Biochemistry, Pharmacology. the cooperative action of two or more stimuli or drugs.

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synergy British  

/ sɪˈnɜːdʒɪk, ˈsɪnədʒɪ /

noun

1. Also called: synergism.  the potential ability of individual organizations or groups to be more successful or productive as a result of a merger

2. another name for synergism

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Usage

What does synergy mean? Synergy refers to when an interaction of elements produces an effect that is greater than the effect that would have resulted from simply adding up the effects of each individual element. In other words, synergy is what happens when a combination of things produces an effect or result that is said to be “greater than the sum of its parts.”When you combine things—chemicals, ingredients, people—you often expect these things to interact in a certain way based on what has been included. But when something extra happens, something greater, this is synergy. Synergy implies that the magic is in the combination, as opposed to in the individual elements themselves. Synergy can be used in all kinds of contexts. A food critic might say that a particular dish is delicious due to the synergy of its ingredients. In the business world, the word synergy is often seen as a kind of buzzword that’s used as a way of referring to what makes a certain project or venture successful. Synergy is also used in a more specific way in the context of medicine to refer to the cooperation of multiple body parts, such as muscles or nerves. It can also refer to the interaction of drugs or other stimuli. The things that cooperate in this way can be called synergists. The word synergism can be used to mean the same thing as synergy. The adjective synergistic can be used to describe a combination that produces such an effect or things that work together in this way. Example: The cooperation between these departments produced a synergy that led to great success.

Other Word Forms

• synergic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of synergy

First recorded in 1650–60; from New Latin synergia, from Greek synergía, from synerg(ós) “working together” ( see synergism) + -ia -y ³

Explanation

You write the lyrics and your friend composes the music. Separately each of you is pretty good, but together you’ve got a mega-hit song. That’s synergy — working together to create something greater than either of you could do alone. The word synergy comes from the Greek sun, "together" and ergon, "work" (the same root that gives us ergonomic and energy). When one thing magnifies the effect of another, together they have synergy. If your company makes some revolutionary kind of yo-yo, you may decide to acquire a company that distributes toys, as you’d expect there would be a natural synergy: each company will benefit from the other’s strengths, and together they’ll be stronger than either would be by itself.

Example Sentences

A handy case of corporate synergy enabled this TV movie to film a host of essential footage at the 2000 festival, even if most of the picture was shot in Vancouver.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

At that moment, Nexstar was exploring more brand synergy.

From Slate • Apr. 21, 2026

At the same time, Disney is brusquely cross-promoting their other titles alongside the film at every opportunity, pursuing the two words every advertising exec dreams of: brand synergy.

From Salon • Apr. 20, 2026

Further experiments helped clarify how this synergy works.

From Science Daily • Apr. 9, 2026

The exciting synergy of institutional life in an all-purpose national metropolis was deemed less important than the dangerous corruptions likely to afflict a nexus of politicians and financiers.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Related Words

• teamwork