synthesize

verb

syn·​the·​size ˈsin(t)-thə-ˌsīz 

synthesized; synthesizing

transitive verb

1

: to combine or produce by synthesis

2

: to make a synthesis of

3

: to produce (something, such as music) by an electronic synthesizer

intransitive verb

: to make a synthesis

Did you know?

Synthesize is a very common word in chemistry, since chemists are constantly synthesizing new compounds—that is, synthetic compounds—including drugs and industrial chemicals. It's also often used when talking about writing; nonfiction writers must often synthesize large amounts of material from many sources to produce a book—which represents a synthesis of the important materials. An electronic synthesizercreates new sounds (which may imitate the sounds of acoustic instruments) by generating different basic tones and then manipulating and merging them together with others.

Examples of synthesize in a Sentence

She synthesized the treatment from traditional and modern philosophies of medicine.

He synthesized old and new ideas to form his theory.

Amino acid is synthesized in the body.

Recent Examples on the Web

Today, this digital footprint affects not only what people read, but increasingly what AI systems retrieve and synthesize. — Alona Karpinska, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Here, the genetic material is CRISPR/Cas9 instructions that instruct the hookworm to synthesize a specific protein, s16-HuScFv, which can neutralize tetrodotoxin. — Jay Kakade august 05, Refractor, 5 Aug. 2026

Her design approach synthesizes classical references with a modern Danish sensibility to highlight the innate beauty of diamonds and pearls. — Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 5 Aug. 2026

Sometimes there is a clear pattern in the evidence, sometimes the results are mixed, and sometimes there simply has not yet been research to synthesize in a review. — Lucy McGowan, The Conversation, 4 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for synthesize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize
• butterflies

Kids Definition

synthesize

verb

syn·​the·​size ˈsin(t)-thə-ˌsīz 

synthesized; synthesizing

: to combine or produce by synthesis

Medical Definition

synthesize

transitive verb

syn·​the·​size

variants also British synthesise

-ˌsīz 

synthesized also British synthesised; synthesizing also British synthesising

: to combine or produce by synthesis

synthesize penicillin