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Meetings & Communicationabbreviation · /ˈeɪsɪŋk/

async

In simple English

In tech workplaces, async refers to any work or communication that happens independently of time zones and live interaction. This contrasts with synchronous meetings where everyone participates simultaneously. Async communication includes Slack messages, email threads, recorded video updates, and documentation that team members read and respond to when convenient. It is especially valuable in distributed teams spanning multiple time zones, as it reduces the need for everyone to be online at once. Async work allows engineers to focus on deep, uninterrupted work while still staying connected to their team. Many tech companies now embrace async-first cultures where meetings are the exception, not the rule.

Understand what async means in workplace communication and why distributed tech teams use it.

At a glanceCEFR B2
Commonness5/5
Versatility4/5
FormalityCasualFormalCasual
Spoken ↔ WrittenSpokenWrittenBoth
Directness ↔ DiplomaticDirectDiplomaticNeutral
RegionUS and UK
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Say it like this

✓Let us keep this async to respect everyone's time zones.
✓I prefer async communication for this task.
✓We should handle this async rather than scheduling another meeting.

Real examples

in a standup

"Instead of a meeting, we will do an async standup this week where everyone posts updates in Slack."

in a code review

"The code review process is async, so you can leave comments and the author will respond when they are available."

in a team meeting

"Since we have team members across five time zones, we decided to move this discussion async using our internal documentation wiki."

Don't say this

Handle with care. Avoid confusing async (asynchronous communication/work) with async (asynchronous programming). Context usually clarifies which meaning is intended.

✕We need to async the problem right now.
✓We should discuss this async instead of calling a meeting.— Async is not a verb meaning to solve something urgently. It describes the mode of communication, not the action itself.
✕Can we sync up async tomorrow?
✓Can we sync up synchronously tomorrow at 10am?— Sync up and async are opposites. Sync up means to meet in real time, which is the opposite of async.
✕This project is too complex for async work.
✓This project requires some synchronous collaboration, though we will use async updates when possible.— Async is not about complexity but about communication style. Most projects benefit from a mix of async and synchronous work.

Other forms

noun

async

"Our team prefers async for most communication."

adjective

async

"We set up an async communication channel for the project."

Often used with

async communicationThe most common phrase describing non-real-time information exchange
async workTasks completed independently without requiring real-time collaboration
async-firstA company culture or policy that prioritizes asynchronous communication as the default
keep it asyncA suggestion to handle something through asynchronous rather than synchronous channels
async updateA status report or message shared at a time convenient for the sender, not requiring immediate response

Similar words

asynchronousThe full formal term from which async is abbreviated. Used interchangeably in professional settings.
non-real-timeLess common but emphasizes that responses do not happen immediately

Opposites

syncsynchronousreal-time

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Practice

Try it

4 quick exercises

Pick the most natural phrasing

1. Your manager asks how to handle feedback from a distributed team. What do you say?

Complete the sentence

2. Since we have team members in three continents, we decided to make our standups _______ instead of holding a live video call.

Spot the mistake

3. Which sentence uses async incorrectly?

Rewrite naturally

4. Rewrite this using async: 'We should not have everyone meet at the same time to discuss this. Instead, people should write their thoughts when they have time.'

Questions

Quick poll

Have you said "async" in a standup this week?

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