sync

sync — noun

1. used to describe things whose movements or actions are perfectly matched in thei

1.nounB1
Definition

used to describe things whose movements or actions are perfectly matched in their timing and pace, as though guided by the same beat

Example

The dancers moved in sync with the music, their arms rising and falling together.

be in sync with [music/rhythm] — matching timing

Yuki and Hari kicked their legs in sync during the swimming lesson.

Common collocations
  • in sync with
  • keep in sync
  • stay in sync
  • fall in sync with
Synonyms
  • in time

    used mainly in music and dance contexts

  • in step

    used mainly for marching or walking together in a group

  • coordinated

    more formal and broader in use

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

be in sync with [noun phrase]

Usage Note

Always appears in the fixed phrase 'in sync (with)'. Most common when describing music, dance, sports, or machinery that work together rhythmically.

Common Mistakes

The dancers are in sync of the music.
The dancers are in sync with the music.
'in sync' takes the preposition 'with', not 'of'.

2. used to describe people or groups whose ideas, feelings, or plans match each oth

2.nounB2
Definition

used to describe people or groups whose ideas, feelings, or plans match each other, creating a smooth working relationship

Example

The two designers were completely in sync about the colour scheme for the new logo.

be in sync about [topic] — agreeing on a specific subject

Emre and his business partner stayed in sync on every major decision for years.

stay in sync on [topic] — maintaining agreement over time

Common collocations
  • in sync about
  • in sync on
  • stay in sync
  • get in sync
Synonyms
  • in agreement

    more formal and directly states shared opinions

  • aligned

    common in business and team settings

  • in tune

    suggests emotional or instinctive harmony

Antonyms
  • out of sync

    the opposite meaning for agreement or harmony

Grammar Patterns

be in sync with [someone] about [topic]

Usage Note

Always appears in the fixed phrase 'in sync (with)'. Describes mental, emotional, or strategic alignment rather than physical timing. The subject is typically people or groups, not machines.

Common Mistakes

My ideas are in sync to my boss's ideas.
My ideas are in sync with my boss's ideas.
'with' is the required preposition, not 'to'.

3. used to describe things whose movements or actions are not matched in timing or

3.nounB1
Definition

used to describe things whose movements or actions are not matched in timing or pace, causing irregularity or mistakes

Example

The video and audio were out of sync, so the actor's lips moved well after the words.

be out of sync — technical mismatch between media tracks

Hassan's pedalling was out of sync with the other cyclists, slowing the group down.

out of sync with [group] — losing the common rhythm

Common collocations
  • out of sync with
  • fall out of sync
  • get out of sync
Synonyms
  • out of time

    used mainly in music and performance contexts

  • out of step

    used mainly for marching or walking together

Antonyms
  • in sync

    the direct opposite for physical timing

Grammar Patterns

be out of sync with [noun phrase]

Usage Note

Always appears in the fixed phrase 'out of sync (with)'. Frequently describes technical glitches (audio-video mismatch) or physical coordination problems in group activities.

4. used to describe people, groups, or actions whose ideas, feelings, or methods do

4.nounB2
Definition

used to describe people, groups, or actions whose ideas, feelings, or methods do not match, often causing tension or poor results

Example

The manager's promises were out of sync with what the company could actually deliver.

out of sync with [reality/capacity] — mismatch between words and reality

Nellie's progressive teaching style was out of sync with the school's traditional approach.

Common collocations
  • out of sync with
  • feel out of sync
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • in sync

    the opposite meaning for agreement or compatibility

Grammar Patterns

be out of sync with [someone/something]

Usage Note

Always appears in the fixed phrase 'out of sync (with)'. Differs from noun sense 3 in that it describes mismatched opinions, methods, or values rather than mismatched timing.

Idioms

in sync

idiom

Happening or working together at the same time and speed.

The dancers moved in sync with the music perfectly.

Are your computer files in sync with the cloud backup?

out of sync

idiom

Not happening or working together at the same time and speed.

The video was out of sync with the audio.

His watch is out of sync with the station clock.

sync — verb

Word family

  • synchronize
    verbB2
  • synchronization
    nounC1
  • synchronous
    adjectiveC1
  • asynchronous
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/2

Sync, synchronize, update, and back up all relate to keeping data consistent, but they differ in direction and purpose. Sync (or synchronize) is two-way: when you sync your phone with your laptop, changes on either device appear on the other. Update is usually one-way — it pulls the latest version from a server to your device. Back up means copying your data to a safe location for protection, not for daily use across devices. For example: 'I sync my calendar between my phone and laptop so appointments appear on both' versus 'I back up my vacation photos to an external drive once a week.' Choose back up for safety, update for fresher information, and sync for convenience across devices.

sync ↗synchronizeupdate ↗back up

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in sync with
  • out of sync with
  • sync up
  • keep in sync
  • stay in sync
  • fall out of sync

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

Sync is a shortened form of synchronize, which entered English in the 1620s. It comes from Greek syn- meaning 'together' and khronos meaning 'time'. The noun form first appeared in the 1920s with the invention of sound film, where filmmakers needed to match audio to moving images. The verb form became common in the 1940s. The meaning of connecting electronic devices emerged in the 1980s alongside personal computers.