adherent

1 of 2

noun

ad·​her·​ent ad-ˈhir-ənt 

əd-

: one who adheres to something: such as

a

: a follower of a leader, party, or profession

Freud's adherents

b

: a believer in or advocate especially of a particular idea or church

adherents of Christianity

adherents of socialism

adherent

2 of 2

adjective

1

: able or tending to adhere

an adherent material

2

: connected or associated with especially by contract

nations adherent to the treaty

3

: adnate

adherently adverb

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Stick With Adherent

Just as tape adheres to paper, a person may adhere to a cause, a faith, or a belief. Thus, you may be an adherent of Hinduism, an adherent of environmentalism, or an adherent of the Republican Party. A plan for cutting taxes always attracts adherents easily, regardless of what the cuts may result in.

Synonyms

Noun

• acolyte
• convert
• disciple
• epigone
• follower
• liege man
• partisan
• partizan
• pupil
• votarist
• votary

Adjective

• adhesive
• clingy
• gluey
• glutinous
• gummy
• sticky
• tacky
• tenacious
• viscid

Choose the Right Synonym for adherent

follower, adherent, disciple, partisan mean one who gives full loyalty and support to another.

follower may apply to people who attach themselves either to the person or beliefs of another.

an evangelist and his followers

adherent suggests a close and persistent attachment.

adherents to Marxism

disciple implies a devoted allegiance to the teachings of one chosen as a master.

disciples of Gandhi

partisan suggests a zealous often prejudiced attachment.

partisans of the President

Examples of adherent in a Sentence

Noun

an adherent of free trade

the Flat Earth Society surely doesn't have many adherents

Adjective

the bandage is made from a mildly adherent fiber

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

But after making an initial splash in 2009 thanks to high-profile adherents like marathon star Paula Radcliffe, the first wave of high-quality studies supported the idea that beet juice really does improve endurance. —Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 19 Apr. 2025

In some contexts, adherents to older intellectual traditions pushed back, especially in Poland, where resistance slowed though could not prevent the imposition of ideological control. —Iveta Silova, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2025

Adjective

At my organization, ICL, 75% of clients served by IMT have become stably housed by our teams and 67% are adherent with medication, with an additional 14% agreeing to try medication. —Jody Rudin, New York Daily News, 18 Jan. 2025

For example, in the HIV disease area, patients on single tablet regimens are more adherent and persistent than those on multiple tablet treatments. —Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin adhaerent-, adhaerens, going back to Latin, present participle of adhaerēre "to adhere"

Adjective

Middle English aherdaunt, adherent, borrowed from Anglo-French aheirdant, going back to Latin adhaerent-, adhaerens, present participle of adhaerēre "to adhere"

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for adherent

• coherent
• inherent
• incoherent

Kids Definition

adherent

1 of 2 adjective

ad·​her·​ent ad-ˈhir-ənt 

əd-

: able or tending to adhere

adherent

2 of 2 noun

: a person who adheres to a leader, belief, or group