adjective

asynchronous

ay-SING-kruh-nuhs

Asynchronous (adjective) means not happening or done at the same time, so that the people involved take part whenever it suits them rather than together in real time. Example: “The course is fully asynchronous, so you can watch the lectures at midnight if you like.”

adjective

Not happening or done at the same time, so that the people involved take part whenever it suits them rather than together in real time.

"The course is fully asynchronous, so you can watch the lectures at midnight if you like."

"Distributed teams rely on asynchronous communication across time zones."

technical Describing a computing operation that runs independently of the main sequence of instructions, so the program can continue working instead of waiting for it to finish.

"The image loads through an asynchronous request, so the page renders immediately."

"Marking the function asynchronous stops it from blocking the interface."

How to use asynchronous

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishNot at the same time; each side goes at its own pace.

When to use it

Common in education, remote work and software. Often shortened to 'async', especially in programming and workplace chat.

Memory tip

Email is asynchronous, a phone call is synchronous. That contrast covers most uses of the word.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

synchronous → asymmetric → async

Common pairings

asynchronous learning asynchronous communication asynchronous request fully asynchronous

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The course is fully _____, so you can watch the lectures at midnight if you like.

Etymology

From Greek a- 'not', syn 'together' and chronos 'time'.

Origin: Greek

Antonyms

synchronous real-time live blocking

Related words

be go live living experience dead die quick

Rhymes for asynchronous

yous nous pious joyous heinous ominous curious anxious copious tenuous tedious spurious

See all rhymes for asynchronous →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between synchronous and asynchronous learning?

Synchronous learning happens live, with everyone present at a set time, such as a scheduled video seminar. Asynchronous learning is delivered through recordings, readings and forums that students work through on their own schedule, with no fixed meeting.

What does asynchronous mean in programming?

It means a task is started and the program carries on with other work rather than waiting for the result. When the task finishes, the result is delivered back through a callback, promise or await, which keeps applications responsive during slow operations like network calls.

What is the meaning of asynchronous?

"asynchronous" (adjective) means not happening or done at the same time, so that the people involved take part whenever it suits them rather than together in real time.

What is the opposite of asynchronous?

Opposites of "asynchronous" include synchronous, real-time, live, blocking.

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