adhere

ad·here | \ ad-ˈhir

, əd- \

adhered; adhering

Definition of adhere

1 : to hold fast or stick by or as if by gluing, suction, grasping, or fusing The stamp failed to adhere to the envelope.

2 : to give support or maintain loyalty adhere to traditional values

3 : to bind oneself to observance adhere to the rules

4 obsolete : accord sense intransitive 1

transitive verb

: to cause to stick fast The paper had been adhered to the wall.

Other Words from adhere Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about adhere

Keep scrolling for more

Choose the Right Synonym for adhere

stick, adhere, cohere, cling, cleave mean to become closely attached. stick implies attachment by affixing or by being glued together. couldn't get the label to stick adhere is often interchangeable with stick but sometimes implies a growing together. antibodies adhering to a virus cohere suggests a sticking together of parts so that they form a unified mass. eggs will make the mixture cohere cling implies attachment by hanging on with arms or tendrils. clinging to a capsized boat cleave stresses strength of attachment. the wet shirt cleaved to his back

Examples of adhere in a Sentence

The stamp failed to adhere. everyone started calling her “Cookie” when she was little and the name adhered

Recent Examples on the Web Those companies, who represent about 30% of the U.S. market, have now agreed to adhere to stricter emissions standards similar to the Obama plan, citing the need for more regulatory certainty. — Cara Daggett, The Conversation, "Fight or switch? How the low-carbon transition is disrupting fossil fuel politics," 22 Nov. 2019 We were introduced to a new line of paint by our sister-in-law, which was claiming to be water-based and able to adhere to just about any surface. — Jennifer Rude Klett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Angelus Home & Garden in Walworth is a decor store with a flair for unique items," 14 Nov. 2019 Although county officials have said all diesel trucks used at Devil’s Gate Dam must adhere to 2010 emissions level standards, Krider said ensuring adherence is more difficult. — Sara Cardine, La Cañada Valley Sun, "With Devil’s Gate hauling set to resume, plans to test tailpipes progress," 25 Sep. 2019 They were also expected to adhere to Koch’s detailed safety policy. — Christopher Leonard, ProPublica, "Rising Profits, Rising Injuries: The Safety Crisis at Koch Industries’ Georgia-Pacific," 8 Aug. 2019 Canadian sociologist Arshia Zaidi, author of a study of Pakistani women in the United States and Canada, finds that the younger generation has shifted away from the strict family obligations their parents and grandparents may have adhered to. — Monica Haider, Teen Vogue, "How Young, American Muslims Are Dating and Finding Love in New York City," 30 July 2019 Failing to adhere to the limits could jeopardize the university’s ability to proceed with the future phases of the expansion. — Maggie Angst, The Mercury News, "Santa Clara County doesn’t budge on housing requirements for Stanford’s expansion plans," 2 July 2019 If publications had adhered to that standard, the world never would have seen the photo of Mary Ann Vecchio kneeling over Jeffrey Miller, fatally wounded by National Guard troops on the campus of Kent State University on May 4, 1970. — Bill Goodykoontz, azcentral, "Northwestern University student paper apologizes for its protest coverage. Why?," 13 Nov. 2019 System testing only occurs at the end of the manufacturing process, and doesn’t ensure that vendors adhere to proper supply chain or cybersecurity controls during the development, programming, or deployment phases. — Justin Rohrlich, Quartz, "The US government holds balloons to stricter standards than it does voting machines," 12 Nov. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'adhere.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.