<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2020-08-21</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000883241</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SYNOPSYS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SNPS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001652437</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Kankanwadi Sudhindra</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>690 EAST MIDDLEFIELD ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MOUNTAIN VIEW</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94043</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Senior VP, Finance &amp; CAO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>213.1</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2020-08-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1876</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2021-08-21</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2027-08-21</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1876</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1876</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.0</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2020-08-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1408</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2021-09-15</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2023-09-15</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1408</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1408</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Grant to reporting person to buy shares of common stock under the Synopsys, Inc 2006 Employee Equity Incentive Plan. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors approved an option grant value of $100,000, with the number of shares subject to the option to be determined by dividing that amount by the fair value of an option to acquire a share of Synopsys common stock on the grant date using the Black-Scholes option pricing model.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">1/4 of the grant becomes exercisable one year after grant date with the remainder becoming exercisable in a series of 12 equal quarterly installments thereafter, subject to continued service through each vesting date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors approved a restricted stock unit grant value of $300,000, with the number of restricted stock units to be determined by dividing that amount by the closing price of Synopsys common stock on the grant date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">1/3 of the units vest on the date shown followed by two equal annual installments, subject to continued service through each vesting date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: POA pursuant Christina Escalante-Dutra For: Sudhindra Kankanwadi</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2020-08-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
