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synergistic

/ˌsɪn.əˈdʒɪs.tɪk/
IELTSAcademic
adjective

Synergistic means working together in a way that gives a better result than each part could give alone. It is often used in business, science, and teamwork.

  • Their skills were synergistic.
  • The two teams had a synergistic effect.
  • We need a synergistic approach to the problem.

Adinary Nuance

Synergistic is stronger than simple words like cooperative or helpful. It suggests the parts do not just work side by side; they create extra value together. Writers often use it in formal, academic, or business contexts. It can sound technical if used in casual conversation.

In other languages

Vietnamese
mang tính cộng hưởng
Spanish
sinérgico
Chinese
协同的
Japanese
相乗的な
Korean
시너지의

Etymology

Synergistic comes from synergy, which came into English from Greek in the 1600s. It combines with the ending -istic, meaning “related to” or “having the quality of.”

Common phrases

synergistic effectsynergistic relationshipsynergistic approachsynergistic partnership

Synonyms

Related words

Frequently asked questions

Is synergistic a common everyday word?
No, it is more common in formal writing, business, and academic English.
What is the difference between synergistic and cooperative?
Cooperative means working together well. Synergistic means working together so the result is even better.
Can I use synergistic in IELTS writing?
Yes, especially in Task 2 when you want a formal, precise word.
Is synergistic used with ideas, teams, or systems?
Yes. It can describe people, groups, methods, and even different forces or ideas.