How can rests create syncopation in music?

In music, syncopation is the displacement of regular accents that disrupts a listener's expectations of a standard metrical pattern.12

Rests contribute to this effect by suppressing the expected emphasis on a strong beat. When a rest is placed where a listener anticipates a strong, accented beat, the natural flow of the meter is interrupted. For example, in a 4/4 time signature, a composer might place a quarter rest on the first beat of a measure, effectively silencing the expected downbeat and forcing the rhythmic focus elsewhere.12

By removing the sound at a point of expected emphasis, rests create a sense of tension and anticipation, driving the music forward as the listener waits for the reestablishment of the normal metrical pulse. This technique is a fundamental element of jazz and has been used by many composers to add drama and rhythmic complexity to their work.13