Synergy is when different things work together to create a result that's better than what each of them could achieve alone. The combined effect is more powerful than just adding up the separate parts.

Think about a relay race: four runners working as a team can achieve a faster total time than four individuals running separately. Or imagine baking a cake: it tastes a lot better than flour, eggs, sugar, and butter eaten separately!

The word is often used in business, where a team shows synergy when members with different skills collaborate so effectively that they accomplish far more than the same number of people working independently. Two medicines might have a synergistic effect, working together to heal a patient better than either one alone.