An audio and video synchronization compensation method and apparatus for smoothly compensating audio and video synchronization in an audio and video system such as a DTV and a DVD player are provided. The apparatus includes a signal decoder unit which extracts time information for reproducing a video and/or audio signal and reference operation time information of a reproduction system from an input compressed stream; a signal synchronization control unit which determines the reproduction state of a signal by comparing reproduction time information of the stream with reference time information of the system, measures the difference between the reproduction time information and the reference time information in the determined signal reproduction state, and adjusts a transition speed used to approach from a signal reproduction interval to a signal synchronization interval according to a reproduction speed value of a pattern corresponding to the difference.