What does synthesising mean?
Synthesising means bringing separate elements together to create a coherent whole or a unified result. A researcher may synthesise evidence from multiple studies, while a writer might synthesise different arguments into one balanced account. In technical contexts, the verb can also refer to producing a substance or sound through a chemical or mechanical process. The word is especially common in academic, scientific, and analytical prose, where it suggests that information has been compared, evaluated, and combined into something more useful and coherent. It is more specific than simply combining or adding material, often implying that the resulting whole has a structure or meaning that the separate parts do not possess individually. The related noun is synthesis.
To combine separate elements into a coherent or unified whole.
"She synthesised the findings into a single account."
Common in academic, scientific, and analytical contexts.
To produce a substance, sound, or other phenomenon by combining ingredients or components through a technical process.
"The compound is synthesised in the laboratory."
From the Greek roots for “together” and “put,” synthesis is literally the putting together of separate parts.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does synthesising come from?
The word comes from Greek synthesos, meaning “putting together,” which was formed from syn- (“together”) and theinai (“to put”). It entered English through the noun synthesis in the 17th century, and the verb synthesise developed later. The modern form reflects the same root seen in words such as synthetic, synthesizer, and the shortened noun synth.
Related word forms
How synthesising is actually used
The British spelling “synthesising” is standard in British English; the American spelling is “synthesizing.” In academic and analytical contexts, the word usually implies an intelligent integration of separate sources rather than merely joining them together.
Easily confused with synthesising
Both forms mean to combine elements into a whole, but “synthesise” is the standard British spelling, while “synthesize” is the standard US spelling.