lip-sync

verb

To move the lips in synchronization with sounds (generally recorded) so it appears they are the source of the sounds.

“She lip-synced to her own recording during the show because of her laryngitis.”

Similar
lip-synch
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Meanings

verblip-sync (third-person singular simple present lip-syncs, present participle lip-syncing or lip-synching, simple past and past participle lip-synced or lip-synched)

present singular third person lip-syncs · participle present lip-syncing · participle present lip-synching · participle past lip-synced · past lip-synced · participle past lip-synched · past lip-synched · alternative lip-synch · alternative lipsynch · alternative lip sync · alternative lipsync

  1. transitivesingingentertainmentTo move the lips in synchronization with sounds (generally recorded) so it appears they are the source of the sounds.

    She lip-synced to her own recording during the show because of her laryngitis.

    2 more examples

    There was a great scandal when it was discovered the singer had been only lip-syncing.

    Tolokonnikova is one of two members of the punk group Pussy Riot who are serving two-year sentences for lip-syncing and playing air guitar for 40 seconds in a peaceful protest in the largest Moscow cathedral.

    2013 September 23, Masha Gessen, “Life in a Russian Prison”, in New York Times, retrieved 24 Sep 2013

Synonyms & antonyms

verbmove the lips in synchronization (with recorded speech or song)

Similar
lip-synch
Broader
mouth

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From lip sync.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 假唱, 對嘴 /对嘴
  • 假唱 (jiǎchàng)to move lips in synchronization with sounds
  • 對嘴 /对嘴 (duìzuǐ)to move lips in synchronization with sounds
  • 咪嘴 (mīzuǐ)to move lips in synchronization with sounds
  • 對口型 /对口型 (duìkǒuxíng)to move lips in synchronization with sounds
Dutch playbacken, lippen
  • playbackento move lips in synchronization with sounds
  • lippento move lips in synchronization with sounds
Finnish liikutella huuliaan, huulisynkata
  • liikutella huuliaanto move lips in synchronization with sounds
  • huulisynkatato move lips in synchronization with sounds
  • laulaa playbackinato move lips in synchronization with sounds
French faire du playback, chanter en playback
  • faire du playbackto move lips in synchronization with sounds
  • chanter en playbackto move lips in synchronization with sounds
German lippensynchron singen
  • lippensynchron singento move lips in synchronization with sounds
Hungarian tátog
  • tátogto move lips in synchronization with sounds
Italian cantare in playback
  • cantare in playbackto move lips in synchronization with sounds
Japanese 口パクする, リップシンクする
  • 口パクする (kuchipaku suru)to move lips in synchronization with sounds
  • リップシンクする (rippushinku suru)to move lips in synchronization with sounds
Norwegian leppesynkronisering
  • leppesynkroniseringto move lips in synchronization with sounds
Polish śpiewać z playbacku
  • śpiewać z playbackuto move lips in synchronization with sounds
Portuguese fazer playback
  • fazer playbackto move lips in synchronization with sounds
Russian исполня́ть под фоногра́мму
  • исполня́ть под фоногра́мму (ispolnjátʹ pod fonográmmu)to move lips in synchronization with sounds
Spanish hacer playback
  • hacer playbackto move lips in synchronization with sounds
Swedish mima, läppsynka
  • mimato move lips in synchronization with sounds
  • läppsynkato move lips in synchronization with sounds
Ukrainian виконува́ти під фоногра́му
  • виконува́ти під фоногра́му (vykonuváty pid fonohrámu)to move lips in synchronization with sounds
Vietnamese hát nhép
  • hát nhépto move lips in synchronization with sounds
Cite this entry
APA

lip-sync. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lip-sync

MLA

“lip-sync.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lip-sync. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lip-sync,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lip-sync.

Source: lip-sync on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.