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asynchronous

ay-SING-kruh-nuhs /eɪˈsɪŋ.krə.nəs/

adjectiveC1TOEFLIELTSGREGMAT

formaltechnical

Not occurring at the same time; describing communication where participants respond at their own convenience without real-time interaction.

In modern workplaces, asynchronous work uses recorded video, email, and messaging boards rather than live video calls.

The story behind the word. Constructed from Greek roots: 'a-' (without) + 'syn-' (together) + 'chronos' (time). Originally used in telegraphy and electronics for signals transmitted without shared clock pulses, it now defines flexible remote work schedules.

Word relationships

non-real-time: 'Non-real-time' is a plain descriptor, while 'asynchronous' is the formal technical and professional business term.

synchronous: Synchronous means taking place live at the exact same time.

Commonly confused with

unscheduled: Unscheduled means something happening without planning, while asynchronous means deliberately decoupled in time.

Word family

asynchronously (adverb): In a manner decoupled from real-time synchronization.
asynchrony (noun): The state of not occurring simultaneously.

Collocations

asynchronous communication
asynchronous learning
asynchronous video
asynchronous workflow

Example sentences

"By adopting asynchronous video updates, team members across different time zones could communicate without scheduling late-night calls." Remote team workflow strategy

Memory hook

A (Not) + SYNCHRONOUS (In sync time) = Not in sync time. Work at your own time.

When not to use

Do not use 'asynchronous' to describe physical objects that are out of physical alignment or uneven in size.

Fun facts

Global companies use asynchronous work to maintain continuous 'follow-the-sun' 24-hour operations without overnight shifts.