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Glite Dictionary
⏰ To match timing 🎬 To match audio
to synchronize

to synchronize

4 4.7
To make the sound in a film match the action on screen
  • verb
  • /ˈsɪŋkrəˌnaɪz/
  • Specialized
translation icon : sincronizar
  • The two videotapes were synchronized to the nearest frame possible.
  • synchronized sound
  • synchronize video
  • synchronize the audio recording

Examples

  • They're taking that same attack to video by synchronizing the audio.

  • To create a more immersive experience, the sound team always aims to synchronize the music with the visual transitions.

  • Also, it is extremely difficult to synchronize the audio output with the changes experienced in the image.

    Academic text (1995)

  • Video recordings were synchronized with the accelerometer signals, and then they were labeled by trained experts.

    Academic text (2016)

  • The first feature-length film with synchronized sound was The Jazz Singer in 1927.

    Blog text (33)

  • Furthermore, SMPTE time code has been and continues to be used to mechanically synchronize the audio recording hardware with the video playback hardware.

    Academic text (2015)

  • By 1908, after three years of development, Colin McKenzie had perfected a way to record synchronized sound with pictures.

    Forgotten Silver (1997)

  • The film editor worked hard to synchronize the dialogue with the actors' lip movements.

  • In the final edit, the director had to synchronize the sound effects with each action scene to enhance the impact.

Synonyms

to sync
vsto synchronize
  • Informal
34 3.9

To make two or more things happen at the same time and match each other

is specifically about matching audio to on-screen actions in film

Antonyms

to desynchronize
  • Specialized
8.6

Make things that were at the same time happen at different times

How Synchronized

to sync
  • Informal
34 3.9
to synchronize
  • Specialized
4 4.7
to align
89 3.5

Surface Forms

synchronize infinitive
synchronise infinitive
synchronized past
synchronised past
synchronized past participle
synchronised past participle
synchronizing present participle
synchronising present participle
synchronizes third person singular
synchronises third person singular

Morphology

synchronize = synchronous (semi-transparent) = syn + chron + ize

The technical sense 'align audio timing with video' is an application of 'make synchronous' (synchronous + -ize), but the combining form 'chron' is not obvious to many learners.

Etymology

The word synchronize comes from the Greek parts syn- 'together' and chronos 'time', the same idea behind chronology, so to synchronize sound with a film is to make the audio happen 'at the same time' as the picture.