SIN-thuh-seye-zing
/ˈsɪnθəˌsaɪzɪŋ/
synthesizing is pronounced SIN-thuh-seye-zing (/ˈsɪnθəˌsaɪzɪŋ/). Synthesizing means combining separate elements or information to form a coherent whole or theory. In practice, it often refers to producing a synthesized result—whether in science, data analysis, or creative work—by integrating inputs, ideas, or substances. The term emphasizes the act of uniting parts to generate a comprehensive understanding or product.
Synthesizing means combining separate elements or information to form a coherent whole or theory. In practice, it often refers to producing a synthesized result—whether in science, data analysis, or creative work—by integrating inputs, ideas, or substances. The term emphasizes the act of uniting parts to generate a comprehensive understanding or product.
"Researchers synthesizing data from multiple studies identified a consistent trend."
"The chemist is synthesizing a new compound in the lab."
"The artist is synthesizing various musical styles to create a fresh sound."
Pronounced /sɪnˈθeɪ.zɪ.zɪŋ/ in UK/US and /sɪnˈθeɪ.zɪ.zɪŋ/ in Australian. The primary stress is on the second syllable: syn-THÉ- siz-ing. Start with /sɪn/ (short i as in “sit”), then /ˈθeɪ/ (the “thei” as in “they”), followed by /zɪ/ (z sound plus a short i), and finish with /zɪŋ/ (z + ing). Keep the /θ/ breathy and voiceless, and ensure the /z/ is voiced in the middle and end clusters.
Common errors: 1) Misplacing stress by saying syn-THÉ-sy- zing with wrong syllable emphasis; correct is syn-THƏ- size or syn-THÉ- siz-ing depending on speaker. 2) Slurring the /θ/ into /t/ or /s/; keep a distinct voiceless dental fricative /θ/. 3) Mispronouncing the middle /eɪ/ as a short /e/; use the long /eɪ/ as in ‘they’. Corrections: isolate and practice /ˈθeɪ/ sequence, maintain voiceless /θ/ then glide to /eɪ/. 4) Final cluster /zɪŋ/ can be devoiced in rapid speech; ensure voice continues through the -ing.
- US/UK share the /ˈθeɪ/ diphthong and /zɪŋ/ ending, but US tends to have a slightly more rhotic vowel in surrounding syllables; UK often retains a crisper /θ/ with less reduction in fast speech; AU may reduce the preceding /ɪn/ to a near schwa and may have a slightly longer /ɪ/ before the /zɪŋ/. Overall, the primary stress remains on the second syllable; the main phonetic variation concerns vowel quality and rhoticity in surrounding vowels.
The difficulty lies in the sequence syn- (consonant cluster starting with /s/ and a clear /θ/), the diphthong /eɪ/ followed by a voiced /z/ before a final /ɪŋ/, which requires quick tongue retraction and voicing transitions. The dental fricative /θ/ is a common stumbling block across accents; many speakers substitute with /t/ or /f/. The multi-syllable rhythm also challenges accurate stress timing, especially in rapid speech.
The blend after the stressed /eɪ/ includes two consecutive voiced syllables /zɪ.zɪŋ/ that require consistent voicing and clear separation between the middle /zɪ/ and the final /zɪŋ/. Learners often spin the final -ing too quickly or reduce the /z/ sound; maintaining a crisp, voiced /z/ before -ing helps clarity, and ensuring the /ˈθeɪ/ is cleanly pronounced avoids run-together sounds.
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The verb synthesizing comes from the Greek synthesis, from sun- ‘together’ and thesis ‘placing, placing together’. The origin traces to late Greek syntithenai, literally ‘put together’. In Latin and then French, the term evolved into synthesis, then English adoption as synthesise (British) and synthesize (American). Its first uses in English appeared in the 18th century in philosophical and chemical contexts, reflecting the broader scholarly project of combining disparate principles into a unified framework or compound. By the 19th and 20th centuries, synthesizing expanded into science and technology, including data synthesis, signal synthesis, and chemical synthesis, denoting a deliberate act of integrating components to produce a new whole rather than merely combining parts. The word’s meaning has grown with interdisciplinarity, cognition, and information science, emphasizing constructive integration rather than simplistic aggregation. Today, synthesizing frequently appears in academic literature, software, and media to describe the purposeful creation of new products, theories, or compounds through the deliberate combination of multiple inputs.
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Words that rhyme with "synthesizing"
-ing sounds
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