synchronous

/ˈsɪŋkɹənəs/

//ˈsɪŋkɹənəs// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"synchronous" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“synchronous” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #29,115 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#29,115
frequency rank, English
11
letters
18
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - At the same time, at the same frequency.

Key facts for synchronous
PropertyValue
Headwordsynchronous
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈsɪŋkɹənəs/
Letters11
Frequency rank#29,115
Misspellings tracked18
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “synchronous” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). synchronous lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for synchronous is 11 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈsɪŋkɹənəs/. Corpus data places it at rank #29,115 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 18 likely wrong-spelling variants for synchronous, with forms such as "snychronous", "ssynchronous", and "sycnhronous". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Late Latin synchronus, from Ancient Greek σύγχρονος (súnkhronos, “contemporaneous”), from σῠν- (sŭn-, “with, together”) + χρόνος (khrónos, “time”). By surface analysis, syn- + chron- + -ous = synchrony + -ous; however, all related words (e.g.,… The correct English form is synchronous, spelled S-Y-N-C-H-R-O-N-O-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    At the same time, at the same frequency.
  2. 2
    Single-threaded; blocking; occurring in the same thread as other computations, thereby preventing those computations from resuming until the communication is complete.

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin synchronus, from Ancient Greek σύγχρονος (súnkhronos, “contemporaneous”), from σῠν- (sŭn-, “with, together”) + χρόνος (khrónos, “time”). By surface analysis, syn- + chron- + -ous = synchrony + -ous; however, all related words (e.g., synchronic, synchrony, synchronicity, diachronous, diachronic, diachrony, diachronicity) were coined later, either as back-formations from, or otherwise by analogy with the surface analysis of, synchronous.

This word in other languages

síncrono(Español)synchrone(Français)synchron(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: snychronous,ssynchronous,sycnhronous,syncchronous,synchhronous,synchornous,synchrnoous,synchronnous,synchronosu,synchronouss,synchronuos,synchroonus,synchrronous,syncrhonous,synhcronous,synnchronous,syynchronous,ysnchronous

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of synchronous - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

snychronous2ssynchronous1sycnhronous2syncchronous1synchhronous1synchornous2synchrnoous2synchronnous1
Edit distance from "synchronous"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "synchronous"?
"synchronous" is spelled S-Y-N-C-H-R-O-N-O-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɪŋkɹənəs/.
What does "synchronous" mean?
As an adjective, "synchronous" means: At the same time, at the same frequency.
What are common misspellings of "synchronous"?
Common misspellings include "snychronous", "ssynchronous", "sycnhronous", "syncchronous", "synchhronous". The correct spelling is "synchronous".
How do you pronounce "synchronous"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "synchronous" is /ˈsɪŋkɹənəs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "synchronous"?
Borrowed from Late Latin synchronus, from Ancient Greek σύγχρονος (súnkhronos, “contemporaneous”), from σῠν- (sŭn-, “with, together”) + χρόνος (khrónos, “time”). By surface analysis, syn- + chron- + -ous = synchrony + -ous; however, all related wo... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “synchronous”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-Y-N-C-H-R-O-N-O-U-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈsɪŋkɹənəs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list