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Meaning & use

synergistic

adjective·Advanced

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UK/ˌsɪnəˈdʒɪstɪk/
US/ˌsɪnərˈdʒɪstɪk/

Meanings

  1. adjectivenot comparable

    Producing a combined effect that is greater than the effects of the separate parts added together.

    Grammar: Used before a noun or after a linking verb: a synergistic effect; The two drugs are synergistic.

    Patterns

    • synergistic with something
    • synergistic effect
    • synergistic relationship

    The two chemicals have a synergistic effect, killing bacteria more effectively than either alone.

    Their partnership was synergistic, combining skills that neither had individually.

    Researchers found that the drugs were synergistic when used together.

  2. adjectivenot comparablebusiness

    In business, describing a situation where companies or teams work together to achieve more than they could alone.

    Grammar: Often used before nouns like 'benefits' or 'relationship'.

    Patterns

    • synergistic benefits
    • synergistic relationship

    The merger promised synergistic benefits that never materialized.

    We are looking for synergistic partners to expand our reach.

Common combinations

synergistic effect
The synergistic effect of the two vitamins surprised the researchers.
synergistic relationship
The two departments have a synergistic relationship.
synergistic with
This drug is synergistic with existing treatments.
synergistic combination
The synergistic combination of skills made the team unstoppable.

Synonyms and how they differ

cooperative
Cooperative means working together helpfully, but does not imply the extra effect that synergistic does.
interactive
Interactive means acting on each other, while synergistic stresses the combined result is greater than the sum.

Opposites

antagonisticcounterproductive

Word family

synergy noun
The extra benefit produced when things work together.
synergistically adverb
In a way that produces a combined effect greater than the parts.
synergism noun
The phenomenon of combined action being greater than the sum.

Commonly confused: synergistic or synergetic?

synergistic vs synergetic

Synergetic is a rarer variant of synergistic; both mean the same, but synergistic is more common.

Practice

The two drugs work ______ to fight the infection more effectively.

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