adhere

verb

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

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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

Upgrade Your Kitchen Step 1: Sand the backsplash wall with 80-grit sandpaper; both thinset and tile mastic will adhere better to a roughened surface. — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, "Your Quick and Dirty Guide to Tiling a Kitchen Backsplash," 26 Apr. 2019 Article III, Section 3 of the Constitution defines it as follows: Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. — Dylan Matthews, Vox, "Michael Flynn’s judge suggested he might be guilty of treason. He’s not.," 18 Dec. 2018 The menu adheres to the slow food movement and offers an inventive take on Mexican food. — Susannah Rigg, Condé Nast Traveler, "5 Best Day Trips from Mexico City," 13 Mar. 2018 However, some experts believe the same results can be achieved without adhering so strictly to API's principles. — Marisa Lascala, Good Housekeeping, "Five Types of Parenting Styles, Explained — And How They Affect Kids, According to Experts," 1 Apr. 2019 Although security was tight for their multiple ceremonies (guests reportedly had to adhere to a no-cellphone rule), the stars are pulling back the curtain on their nuptials with these previously-unseen pictures. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Deepika Padukone Shares Gorgeous New Photos from Her Wedding to Ranveer Singh," 20 Nov. 2018 For years on end women of color have always been told their hair wasn’t professional or 'neat' enough for the workplace, and for years women of color would have to adhere to 'white beauty standards' in order to get ahead. — Teryn Payne, Glamour, "This Meteorologist Had a Powerful Response to a Complaint That Her Hair Wasn't 'Normal'," 21 Sep. 2018 However, non-Illinois residents do not have to adhere to the waiting period when purchasing long guns at gun shows, according to the nonprofit. — Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Fox News, "Chicago shootings put spotlight on Illinois gun laws," 9 Aug. 2018 Stephen Lam / Getty Images Facebook is responsible for writing and enforcing content rules that all users have to adhere to — basically a code of conduct for what is and isn’t allowed on the service. — Kurt Wagner, Recode, "Facebook is trying to explain how it defines nudity, violence and hate speech," 24 Apr. 2018

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.