What does "synthesis" mean?
The formation of something complex or coherent by combining simpler things.
Synthesis
/ˈsɪnθəsɪs/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The formation of something complex or coherent by combining simpler things.
- Grammar: synthesis is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: a fortiori reasoning, a posteriori reasoning, a priori reasoning, addition.
- Useful contrasts: cellular analysis, chemical mixture, metabolic breakdown.
- Usage evidence: His work is a synthesis of several ideas.
How to use "synthesis"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "synthesis" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "synthesis" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "synthesis" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "synthesis" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "synthesis" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "a fortiori reasoning" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "synthesis", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The formation of something complex or coherent by combining simpler things. countable, uncountable
"In its synthesis of different art forms and various techniques, Tongues Untied actually represented a departure for Riggs, whose previous work […] had been in a relatively traditional documentary format."
- 2 reasoning from the general to the particular (or from cause to effect) wordnet
- 3 Creation of a complex waveform by summation of simpler waveforms. countable, uncountable
- 4 the combination of ideas into a complex whole wordnet
- 5 The reaction of elements or compounds to form more complex compounds. countable, uncountable
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 the process of producing a chemical compound (usually by the union of simpler chemical compounds) wordnet
- 7 A deduction from the general to the particular, by applying the rules of logic to a premise. countable, uncountable
- 8 The combination of thesis and antithesis. countable, uncountable
- 9 In intelligence usage, the examining and combining of processed information with other information and intelligence for final interpretation. countable, uncountable
- 10 An apt arrangement of elements of a text, especially for euphony. countable, rhetoric, uncountable
- 11 The uniting of ideas into a sentence. countable, uncountable
- 12 The reunion of parts that have been divided. countable, uncountable
- 13 An Ancient Roman dining-garment. countable, uncountable
"The Saturnalia was apparently the only occasion, however, when the synthesis could be worn in public with decorum."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
cellular analysischemical mixturemetabolic breakdownmolecular fragmentation
Example
"His work is a synthesis of several ideas."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "synthesis"?
Common synonyms include: a fortiori reasoning, a posteriori reasoning, a priori reasoning, addition, affiliation, agglomeration.
How do you use "synthesis" in a sentence?
His work is a synthesis of several ideas.
How do you pronounce "synthesis"?
Pronounced /ˈsɪnθəsɪs/.
Etymology
From Latin synthesis, from Ancient Greek σύνθεσις (súnthesis, “a putting together; composition”), from συντίθημι (suntíthēmi, “put together, combine”), from συν- (sun-, “together”) + τίθημι (títhēmi, “set, place”). Doublet of sandhi.