A range of increasingly important chemical syntheses for ceramic materials are described. These syntheses are coprecipitation, molten salts, sol–gel processes, hydrothermal techniques, liquid-phase and gas-phase reactions, polymer pyrolysis, the Pechini and citrate gel methods, aerosols and emulsions. Common themes relating the syntheses are outlined and their advantages over conventional solid-state reactions are described. The scope for further chemical studies on ceramic synthesis is discussed.