synchronous

adjective syn·chro·nous \ ˈsiŋ-krə-nəs , ˈsin- \

|Updated on: 14 Jun 2018

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Examples: synchronous in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of synchronous

1 : happening, existing, or arising at precisely the same time

2 : recurring or operating at exactly the same periods

3 : involving or indicating synchronism

4 a : having the same period; also : having the same period and phase

b : geostationary

5 : of, used in, or being digital communication (as between computers) in which a common timing signal is established that dictates when individual bits can be transmitted and which allows for very high rates of data transfer

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synchronously

adverb

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synchronousness

noun

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Examples of synchronous in a Sentence

the synchronous arrival of a baby sister and loss of a beloved grandmother strongly affected the child

Recent Examples of synchronous from the Web

Iceye wants to launch 18 satellites weighing 85kg each to a Sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 400 to 600km.

— eric berger, Ars Technica, "Rocket Report: NASA chief sort of endorses SLS; Russia woes; Virgin Orbit," 8 June 2018
The expectation of pickup was what made phones a synchronous medium.

— alexis c. madrigal, The Atlantic, "No One Picks Up the Phone Anymore," 31 May 2018
For all intents and purposes, brushless DC motors and synchronous AC motors are essentially the same.

— The Economist, "Do electric cars dream of software fixes?," 22 Apr. 2018
Students can choose to divide their time between classrooms and synchronous WebEx sessions.

— erin arvedlund, Philly.com, "#Inflategate? After losing its #1 U.S. News ranking, Temple's online MBA program faces many challenges," 22 Mar. 2018
The idea of synchronous live conversation seems very counterintuitive right now.

— recode staff, Recode, "Full transcript: Houseparty’s Ben Rubin on Recode Media," 22 Mar. 2018
This annual event showcases the synchronous fireflies (photinus carolinus), one of the few species in the world who coordinate their flash patterns, according to the National Park Service.

— katina beniaris, Country Living, "Thousands of Fireflies Will Light Up the Great Smoky Mountains This May," 27 Apr. 2017
On the hybrid, the four-cylinder engine works with a synchronous AC motor good for 51 horsepower, along with a 1.76-kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

— tony markovich, Car and Driver, "Updated 2018 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid Play Catch-Up," 8 Feb. 2018
Every major economy on earth is expanding at once, a synchronous wave of growth that is creating jobs, lifting fortunes and tempering fears of popular discontent.

— peter s. goodman, New York Times, "Every One of the World’s Big Economies Is Now Growing," 27 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'synchronous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Communications satellites are usually put into a synchronous (or geosynchronous) orbit, circling the earth once every 24 hours and so appearing to hover over a single spot on the surface. This type of synchronized movement is important, since you have to know where to aim your satellite dish. In the computer field, synchronous usually refers to the use of a simple timing signal that permits very rapid exchange of data between computers. The kind of mysterious coincidence sometimes called synchronicity—such as the appearance of two different comic-strip characters named Dennis the Menace in the U.S. and Britain within three days of each other in 1951—has fascinated people for centuries.

Origin and Etymology of synchronous

Late Latin synchronos, from Greek, from syn- + chronos time

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1669

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

synchronous Synonyms

Synonyms

coeval, coexistent, coexisting, coextensive, coincident, coincidental, concurrent, contemporaneous, contemporary, coterminous, simultaneous;

Antonyms

asynchronous, noncontemporary, nonsimultaneous, nonsynchronous;

Synonym Discussion of synchronous

contemporary, contemporaneous, coeval, synchronous, simultaneous, coincident mean existing or occurring at the same time. contemporary is likely to apply to people and what relates to them.