What does sync call mean in software engineering?

A sync call is a real-time, synchronous meeting where team members communicate at the same time, usually to make quick decisions, resolve blockers, or align on complex topics. It is called sync because everyone is synchronized (meeting at the same time), unlike asynchronous communication where people respond when they have time.

How do you use sync call in a sentence at work?

You can say: Let us sync call about this issue, Can we schedule a sync call?, or I need to jump on a sync call with the team. The phrase is used both as a noun (a sync call) and as a verb phrase (to sync call).

Is sync call formal or informal?

Sync call is neutral to casual in tone. It is common in tech companies and startups but less common in very formal corporate environments. In formal settings, people might say synchronous meeting instead.

When should I use a sync call instead of async communication?

Use a sync call when you need immediate feedback, when the discussion is complex and requires real-time clarification, when a decision is urgent, or when written communication has created confusion. Use async (Slack, email) when people are in different time zones, when the topic is not urgent, or when people need time to think before responding.

Can I use sync call for a one-on-one meeting?

Yes, you can, though it is less common. Sync call is typically used for team meetings or group discussions. For one-on-one meetings, people usually just say meeting or call. But saying sync call is not wrong.

How to Say "sync call" at Work

Commonness	5/5
Versatility	4/5
Formality	CasualFormalNeutral
Spoken ↔ Written	SpokenWrittenBoth
Directness ↔ Diplomatic	DirectDiplomaticDirect
Region	US and UK

Say it like this

✓Let me grab you for a quick sync call

✓Can we sync call about this urgently?

✓I will schedule a sync call with the team

Real examples

in a standup

"We discovered a critical bug in production. I think we need a sync call with the entire team to discuss the rollback plan."

in a Slack message

"The design spec is too complex to explain in writing. Let us sync call this afternoon to align on the user flow."

in a code review

"There are too many conflicting opinions here. Can we sync call the review team to decide on the architecture?"

Don't say this

Handle with care. Do not confuse with synchronous programming. A sync call is a meeting, not a code function. Also avoid using it for asynchronous check-ins.

✕We need to sync call the database.

✓We need to synchronize the database.— Sync call refers to meetings, not technical synchronization. Use synchronize or sync for code/data operations.

✕Let us send a sync call message to the team.

✓Let us send an async message to the team.— A sync call is a real-time meeting, not a message. A message can be async or sync in nature, but we do not call messages sync calls.

✕I prefer sync calls because I can think more carefully.

✓I prefer async communication because I can think more carefully.— Sync calls are real-time and fast-paced. If you want time to think, async is better.

Other forms

noun

sync call

"We scheduled a sync call for tomorrow at 2 PM."

verb phrase

to sync call / to have a sync call

"Let us sync call about this issue before the deadline."

noun

sync calls (plural)

"We have too many sync calls on our calendar this week."

Often used with

quick sync callA brief, short meeting to align on something fast

schedule a sync callTo arrange or set up a synchronous meeting

jump on a sync callTo join or start a meeting immediately

sync call with (someone/team)A meeting involving specific people or departments

urgent sync callA meeting needed right away to handle a critical issue

Similar words

synchronous meetingMore formal; sync call is the informal tech industry version

real-time meetingEmphasizes that everyone participates at the same time

live meetingGeneral term; sync call is more specific to tech teams

huddleInformal; usually refers to a very quick, brief sync call

Opposites

async communicationasynchronous updatewritten communication

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Practice

Try it

4 quick exercises

Pick the most natural phrasing

1. Your team has a disagreement about the technical approach. What do you say?

We need a sync call to discuss this together.We need to sync call about this immediately.We sync call this problem.Sync calls are necessary here.

Complete the sentence

2. The database migration is too risky to plan in Slack. Let us _______ with the database team right now.

Spot the mistake

3. Which sentence uses sync call incorrectly?

Can you sync call me tomorrow to review the design?Let us schedule a sync call with the DevOps team.I prefer sync calls because I write better asynchronously.We should have a sync call before we deploy to production.

Rewrite naturally

4. Rewrite this in natural tech English using sync call: The engineers in New York and London need to talk at the same time about the system architecture right away.

Questions

Quick poll

Have you said "sync call" in a standup this week?

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