Meaning & use

synthesis

noun·Academic

The combination of separate ideas, elements, or substances to form a new, unified whole.

See it in a sentence

Her essay offered a clear synthesis of three different theories about climate change.

Chemists achieved the synthesis of the compound after months of careful experimentation.

A note on using this word

Synthesis is the opposite of analysis, which breaks something down into parts rather than combining parts into a whole.

Words with a similar meaning

combinationfusion

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

analysisseparation

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “synthesis”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.