syncopated

verb

Pronunciation: ˈsɪŋkəpeɪt

Definition

Displace the beats or accents in a musical composition so that strong beats become weak and vice versa.

Examples

• The composer chose to syncopate the melody to give the piece a modern, restless quality.

• Beginners often struggle to syncopate correctly because they are used to keeping a steady, predictable rhythm.

• By deciding to syncopate the bass line, the band created a much groovier sound.

How to Use syncopated

syncopate a rhythm (collocation)

to create a syncopated effect in music — "The drummer loves to syncopate a rhythm to keep the audience on their toes."

syncopated (collocation)

adjective form used to describe music or speech — "The syncopated beat of the song made it impossible to sit still."

Synonyms of syncopated

Words with a similar meaning to syncopated:

• displace
• shift
• offbeat
• intercalate

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