synthesis

American  

[sin-thuh-sis] / ˈsɪn θə sɪs /

noun

• syntheses
  plural

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.

---

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

---

synthesis Scientific  

/ sĭn′thĭ-sĭs /

• syntheses
  plural

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

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonsynthesis
  noun
• resynthesis
  noun
• synthesist
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• syntheses
  plural

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

See Examples For:

synthesis syntheses

“It’s the most comfortable synthesis of all the things I do.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

This bacterium produces propionic acid, a compound associated with anti-inflammatory properties, reduced cholesterol synthesis, and appetite regulation.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026

The group combines material synthesis, in situ nanomechanical testing, and advanced atomic-scale microstructure analysis to develop metallic materials that are both strong and deformable.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 31, 2026

His formula—AI to read life’s grammar, synthesis to write it, authorship of species as the outcome—recurs so often it begins to feel like an incantation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

But this synthesis is apparent in many other aspects of the culture, too, as would be expected in a place where as much as three-quarters of the population claims some Indian descent.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

The new electrical device proposed by Stefan Matile and Thomas Wirth could simplify these strategies and thus reduce the carbon impact of chemical syntheses.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2023

The papers were reviews and syntheses of research by groups of scientists in several countries around the polar region.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 11, 2022

In August, the group debuted a list of the best, most up-to-date evidence syntheses on COVID-19.

From Science Magazine ● Oct. 8, 2020

Perbromate salts are difficult to prepare, and the best syntheses currently involve the oxidation of bromates in basic solution with fluorine gas followed by acidification.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

Specialists from several disciplines have provided global syntheses of their subjects.

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

Related Words

• amalgam
• fusion