synergy

noun

syn·​er·​gy ˈsi-nər-jē 

plural synergies

1

: synergism

broadly : combined action or operation

2

: a mutually advantageous conjunction or compatibility of distinct business participants or elements (such as resources or efforts)

Did you know?

An old saying, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts", expresses the basic meaning of synergy. The word is sometimes used in a purely physical sense, especially when talking about drugs; sometimes a "cocktail" of drugs may be more effective than the sum of the effectiveness of each of the separate drugs. But the word is best known in the world of business. The notion that, when the right two companies merge, they'll produce a profitable synergy seemed exciting in the 1990s, when synergy became a trendy buzzword (even though it's actually been around since the 17th century). The idea of synergy was one factor in what became a "merger mania;" unfortunately, business synergy often turned out to be harder to achieve than to imagine.

Examples of synergy in a Sentence

A synergy has developed among the different groups working on this project.

two companies that have found synergy

Recent Examples on the Web

In a bit of corporate synergy, Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares: Road to Super Bowl LIX is set to premiere with a two-hour episode on Wednesday, January 1 at 8 p.m. on Fox. —Denise Petski, Deadline, 1 Nov. 2024

Part of the move was to capitalize on the synergies between Dior’s fashion and beauty businesses. —James Manso, WWD, 30 Oct. 2024

Changes to local broadcast ownership rules by the Trump administration gave way to a record level of local broadcast consolidation, which has helped local networks reduce costs through synergies. —Sara Fischer, Axios, 29 Oct. 2024

Tubi 15 of 25 Poltergeist (1982) While debates continue over who really directed this horror classic, Poltergeist ultimately embraced the light through the synergy of Steven Spielberg's palpable vision and Tobe Hopper's horror expertise. —Katie Rife, EW.com, 29 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin synergia, from Greek synergos working together

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

synergy

noun

syn·​er·​gy ˈsin-ər-jē 

plural synergies

: synergism