operate in unison

USAGE SUMMARY

"operate in unison" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It means to work together or act in sync with each other. Example: "In order for the team to achieve success, they must learn to operate in unison, putting aside their individual differences and working towards a common goal."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

"Everything has to operate in unison in order to do this properly".

The New Yorker

Stood around the giant model of the brain, Nutt spoke of two regions that seemed to operate in unison.

The Guardian

The process required an extraordinary blend of sensory, motor and cognitive skills, all of which had to operate in unison.

BBC

While links can often be drawn between these groups - and they can maybe be described as "fellow travellers" ideologically - it is not the case that they operate in unison or have similar goals.

BBC

We grew this bacterium in silico on various media, analyzed the model in the context of multiple high-throughput data sets, and finally we analyzed the network in an 'unbiased' manner by calculating the Hard Coupled Reaction (HCR) sets, groups of reactions that are forced to operate in unison due to mass conservation and connectivity constraints.

BMC Systems Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Today they are operating in unison.

The New York Times

It consists of two widely separated installations within the United States, operated in unison as a single observatory.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The fundamental French response to any kind of public outpouring of sentiment, good or bad, is the manif, or demonstration: thousands, often hundreds of thousands, of people marching together in the street, bodies and voices operating in unison.

The New Yorker

Asked whether it was Mr. Wilpon or Mr. Katz who was more likely to push the idea of investing with Mr. Madoff, Mr. Cashen, who stepped down as general manager in 1991, said, "To me, they operated in unison".

The New York Times - Sports

In Mole's account what it is for several processes to count as operating in unison is explained as requiring an absence of task-irrelevant processing.

SEP

There's no real estimate about how many people are involved with the group, but the kinds of attacks that have marked Anonymous' work recently, DDoS attacks, rely on big networks of users operating in unison, "like a sledgehammer," said Cluley.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "operate in unison" to emphasize the necessity of coordinated and synchronized actions among multiple entities for achieving a common objective.

Common error

While grammatically sound, avoid using "operate in unison" in very informal conversations. Simpler alternatives like "work together" might be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "operate in unison" primarily functions as a verb phrase, describing the manner in which entities or systems function or work together. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "operate in unison" denotes coordinated and synchronized action, highlighting the necessity of collaboration for achieving a shared objective. Ludwig AI analysis confirms that while grammatically correct and clear in meaning, its use is relatively rare. As the examples show, it most often appears in news, scientific, and academic contexts, suggesting a neutral to formal register. For informal situations, simpler alternatives like "work together" might be more suitable.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

work together

This alternative is a more general term for collaboration.

synchronize actions

This suggests a precise and timed coordination.

act in concert

This suggests a planned and coordinated action, often in a formal setting.

cooperate seamlessly

This highlights the effortless and smooth nature of the cooperation.

collaborate effectively

This focuses on the efficiency and success of the cooperative effort.

function harmoniously

This highlights the smooth and efficient nature of the collaboration.

coordinate efforts

This emphasizes the planned and organized nature of the joint activity.

move in lockstep

This implies a rigid and precise form of coordination.

perform jointly

This emphasizes the shared performance of a task or activity.

act in agreement

This emphasizes the consensus and shared understanding behind the action.

FAQs

What does "operate in unison" mean?

The phrase "operate in unison" means to function or work together in a coordinated and synchronized manner, implying a smooth and efficient collaboration.

How can I use "operate in unison" in a sentence?

You can use "operate in unison" to describe how different parts of a system, or different people within a team, work together. For instance, "For the project to succeed, all departments must "work together" and operate in unison."

Are there any synonyms for "operate in unison"?

Yes, some synonyms include "work together", "act in concert", "function harmoniously", or "move in lockstep". The best choice depends on the specific context and desired nuance.

Is it correct to say "operating in unison" instead of "operate in unison"?

Yes, "operating in unison" is the present participle form of the phrase and is perfectly valid, especially when describing an ongoing process. For example, "The team is currently operating in unison to meet the deadline."