synthesis

American  

[sin-thuh-sis] / ˈsɪn θə sɪs /

noun

plural

syntheses

1. the combining of the constituent elements of separate material or abstract entities into a single or unified entity (opposed to analysis).

2. a complex whole formed by combining.

3. Chemistry. the forming or building of a more complex substance or compound from elements or simpler compounds.

4. Philosophy. the third stage of argument in Hegelian dialectic, which reconciles the mutually contradictory first two propositions, thesis and antithesis.

5. Biology. modern synthesis, a consolidation of the results of various lines of investigation from the 1920s through the 1950s that supported and reconciled the Darwinian theory of evolution and the Mendelian laws of inheritance in terms of natural selection acting on genetic variation.

6. Psychology, Psychiatry. the integration of traits, attitudes, and impulses to create a total personality.

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synthesis British  

/ ˈsɪnθɪsɪs /

noun

1. the process of combining objects or ideas into a complex whole Compare analysis

2. the combination or whole produced by such a process

3. the process of producing a compound by a chemical reaction or series of reactions, usually from simpler or commonly available starting materials

4. linguistics the use of inflections rather than word order and function words to express the syntactic relations in a language Compare analysis

5. archaic philosophy synthetic reasoning

6. philosophy

   1. (in the writings of Kant) the unification of one concept with another not contained in it Compare analysis

   2. the final stage in the Hegelian dialectic, that resolves the contradiction between thesis and antithesis

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synthesis Scientific  

/ sĭn′thĭ-sĭs /

plural

syntheses

1. The formation of a chemical compound through the combination of simpler compounds or elements.

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Other Word Forms

• nonsynthesis noun
• resynthesis noun
• synthesist noun

Etymology

Origin of synthesis

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin, from Greek sýnthesis, from syn- syn- + the- (stem of tithénai “to put, place”) + -sis -sis

Explanation

Synthesis is the act of combining elements to form something new. If you describe your bedroom decor as a synthesis of vintage and punk, we'll know you mean a mixture of these two styles. Synthesis can be either concrete or abstract. Scientists use the word to talk about what happens when chemicals combine — think of photosynthesis: the process by which plants synthesize light, carbon dioxide, and water to produce food. If you write a screenplay titled Batman Saves Jane Eyre, then that's synthesis as well (though you may have trouble selling it). Synthesis can also refer to the act of combining ideas.

Example Sentences

One of the most remarkable efforts at evidence synthesis I’ve come across was a Level 7 decision about a vulnerable population of woodland caribou in Canada’s Rocky Mountains.

From Slate • Apr. 28, 2026

Mr. Wooldridge gives us a bravura performance of summary and synthesis in his telling of the history and substance of liberalism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Reducing the number of synthesis steps lowers chemical use, cuts energy consumption and shrinks the environmental footprint of drug development.

From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2026

For Cannes director Thierry Fremaux, the prize recognises Streisand's contribution as the "legendary synthesis between Broadway and Hollywood, between the music hall stage and the big screen".

From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026

These studies have called attention to parts of the puzzle, but they provide only pieces of the needed broad synthesis that has been missing.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• amalgam
• fusion