synergy

Extra benefits gained when people, groups, or things work together or are combined.

• The merger created useful synergy.
• Their different skills produce a natural synergy.
• We hope to find new synergies across departments.

How to use it: synergy between A and B (There is useful synergy between the design and sales teams.)

Common phrases: create synergy, business synergy, synergy between teams

When drugs used together have a greater effect than their separate effects added together.

• The drugs showed strong synergy.
• This synergy allows doctors to use lower doses.
• Tests revealed synergy between the two cancer medicines.

How to use it: synergy between A and B (The researchers found synergy between the two antibiotics.)

Similar words: synergism

Opposites: antagonism

Common phrases: drug synergy, antibiotic synergy, synergy between drugs

The energy needed to separate particles that are held together.

• The paper uses synergy to mean binding energy.
• Their model calculates the synergy of the particles.
• A higher synergy means more energy is needed to separate the particles.

Similar words: binding energy

Common phrases: nuclear synergy, synergy of particles

The way muscles, nerves, or organs work together to perform a task.

• Muscle synergy makes smooth movement possible.
• The study examined synergy between different muscle groups.
• Damage to a nerve can disrupt this synergy.

How to use it: synergy between A and B (Walking requires synergy between muscles and nerves.)

Similar words: coordination, cooperation

Common phrases: muscle synergy, digestive synergy, synergy between muscles