Meaning & use
synergistic effect
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Meanings
nouncountable
The result when two or more things work together and produce more than they would achieve separately.
Grammar: Often takes of: the synergistic effect of training and diet.
Patterns
- the synergistic effect of something and something
- a synergistic effect between things
Combining exercise with a better diet had a synergistic effect on her energy levels.
The merger was meant to create a synergistic effect, with each company's strengths boosting the other.
Teachers saw a synergistic effect when music lessons were paired with math practice.
nouncountablemedicaltechnical
In medicine and chemistry, the stronger action seen when two substances are given together than the sum of their separate actions.
Grammar: Usually followed by of two named substances: the synergistic effect of the two drugs.
Patterns
- the synergistic effect of something and something
Researchers found a synergistic effect when the two antibiotics were used together.
A synergistic effect between alcohol and sedatives can be dangerous.
The synergistic effect of the two fertilizers doubled crop yield in the trial.
Word forms
| plural | synergistic effects |
|---|
Common combinations
- create a synergistic effect
- The partnership could create a synergistic effect for both brands.
- a strong synergistic effect
- The study reported a strong synergistic effect between the two treatments.
- observe a synergistic effect
- Doctors observed a synergistic effect when the drugs were combined.
- the synergistic effect of
- The synergistic effect of sun and rain made the garden bloom.
- achieve a synergistic effect
- The two teams achieved a synergistic effect by sharing data.
Synonyms and how they differ
- synergy
- Synergy is the shorter, more common noun and refers to the same idea, while synergistic effect names the specific result produced.
- combined effect
- Combined effect is neutral and may simply be the sum of parts, while synergistic effect means more than the sum.
- interplay
- Interplay describes how things act on each other, without saying the outcome is larger than expected.
- multiplier effect
- Multiplier effect stresses growth by repeated knock-on results, often in economics, rather than two things working together.
Opposites
Word family
- synergy noun
- the extra benefit from working together
- synergism noun
- the interaction of agents to give a greater effect, used in science
- synergistic adjective
- working together for a greater effect
- synergistically adverb
- in a way that gives a greater combined effect
- synergize verb
- to work together to produce a greater effect
Commonly confused: synergistic effect or additive effect? synergistic effect or side effect?
synergistic effect vs additive effect
An additive effect is exactly the sum of the separate effects. A synergistic effect is greater than that sum.
synergistic effect vs side effect
A side effect is an unintended extra result, usually unwanted, and has nothing to do with cooperation.
Practice
Two painkillers together relieve pain far more than the sum of their separate effects. This is called a ___.
Choose one answer.
A result greater than the sum of the parts is a synergistic effect. An additive effect is only equal to the sum, which makes it the tempting wrong answer.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “synergistic effect”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.