in sync
Meaning
Operating or performing together perfectly, with accurate timing and coordination.
Origin
The very idea of things happening 'at the same time' comes from the ancient Greek 'syn-' (together) and 'chronos' (time). While the formal term 'synchronization' existed for centuries, often in scientific contexts like astronomy, the punchy, everyday phrase "in sync" truly exploded into popular culture with the dawn of the 20th century. Imagine the bustling, chaotic film studios of the late 1920s, grappling with the monumental challenge of merging sound with moving pictures—the revolutionary "talkies." Ensuring the actors' lips moved precisely with their spoken words, or that the orchestra's swells perfectly matched the on-screen drama, demanded meticulous 'synchronization'. This quest for perfect technical alignment, often a frustrating and spectacular failure before it was a success, made the concept and its abbreviated phrase "in sync" a household term, quickly spreading beyond Hollywood to describe anything working together harmoniously.
Examples
- The dancers moved beautifully, completely in sync with the music and each other.
- After working together for years, the two partners could finish each other's sentences, truly in sync on every project.