verb
harmonize
HAR-muh-nyze/ˈhɑːrmənaɪz/
To bring into agreement or a well-coordinated relationship.
The violinist and cellist harmonize their playing by following a shared beat.
Etymology
Built on harmonia, “agreement” or “concord of sounds,” harmonize first meant playing or singing in harmony. Musical coordination became a model for things going well together or being brought into agreement.
In context
a sullen thing of green boughs and coal which refused to harmonize, but spluttered and fizzed angrily.
More examples
- We need to harmonize our schedules before planning the trip.
- The designer harmonized the room's colors with a neutral rug.
- Harmonizing the two departments' goals takes patience.
Forms
harmonize · harmonizes · harmonized · harmonizing
harmonization noun — The process of bringing things into agreement.
Similar words
- align
- Emphasizes bringing goals, policies, or actions into shared direction.
- coordinate
- Emphasizes organizing separate activities so they work together efficiently.
- reconcile
- Emphasizes resolving conflicts between opposing ideas, interests, or accounts.