adherent

noun

Updated on: 9 Aug 2017

Definition of adherent

: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 Chrisitianity

adherents of socialism

See adherent defined for English-language learners

Examples of adherent in a Sentence

the bandage is made from a mildly adherent fiber

Recent Examples of adherent from the Web

Prakash had the training in Sikhism, the 500-year-old monotheistic Indian religion with about 200,000 adherents in the United States.

— julie zauzmer, chicagotribune.com, "He was 12. He had just moved to America. Then his Sikh father was murdered.," 4 Aug. 2017
Adherents worry that focusing too much on grammar or citing sources will stifle the writerly voice and prevent children from falling in love with writing as an activity.

— dana goldstein, New York Times, "Why Kids Can’t Write," 2 Aug. 2017
Groups including enslaved Muslims, Jewish refugees, and adherents of Gai-wiio, a blend of Quaker and Iroquois beliefs, existed at the margins of the dominant Christian population.

— meilan solly, Smithsonian, "Why Religious Freedom and Diversity Flourished in Early America," 15 July 2017
If old-school Lara Croft embodies much of what's wrong with female representation in an interactive medium that as of 2016 counts over 40% of its adherents as women, new-school Lara Croft has plenty to say about what's right.

— lisa eadicicco, Time, "The 15 Most Influential Video Game Characters," 30 June 2017
The Orthodox Church in America, with roots in Moscow and about 85,000 adherents, reports a 50 percent figure.

— jonathan m. pitts, baltimoresun.com, "Conversions gradually transforming Orthodox Christianity," 24 June 2017
The fierier the soup, the more healing its properties—or so say its adherents.

— ashlea halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, "Why Soup Curry Is One of Japan's Most Underrated Dishes," 23 June 2017
The movement, which began in New York City in 2012 when a number of workers walked off the job, has made what its adherents see as significant gains.

— eric adler, kansascity.com, "Serving up life: Voices of KC’s minimum wage, fast-food workers come to local stage," 21 June 2017
The killing rattled a Muslim community in the midst of celebrating Ramadan, a month of religious observance in which adherents fast from sunrise to sunset for 30 days.

— courant.com, "Killing of Muslim teen in Virginia not being investigated as a hate crime, police say," 19 June 2017

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

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.

Origin and Etymology of adherent

see ²adherent

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

adherent Synonyms

Synonyms

acolyte, follower, convert, disciple, epigone, liege man, partisan (also partizan), pupil, votarist, votary

Antonyms

coryphaeus, leader

Related Words

apostle, missionary, proselytizer, soldier; faithful, loyalist; advocate, backer, champion, supporter; protégé, scholar, student; ideologist, ideologue (also idealogue), sectarian; admirer, cultist, devotee, enthusiast, fan, idolater (or idolator), worshipper (or worshiper), zealot; apparatchik, camp follower, flunky (also flunkey or flunkie), hanger-on, henchman, lackey, lickspittle, minion, myrmidon, satellite, stooge, sycophant, toady, yes-man

Near Antonyms

apostate, defector, renegade, traitor, turncoat

Synonym Discussion of 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

adherent

play

adjective ad·her·ent \ ad-ˈhir-ənt , əd- \

Definition of adherent

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

See adherent defined for kids

Examples of adherent in a Sentence

an adherent of free trade
the Flat Earth Society surely doesn't have many adherents

Origin and Etymology of adherent

Middle English, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French adheirdant, adherent, from Latin adhaerent-, adhaerens, present participle of adhaerēre — see adhere

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

adherent Synonyms

Synonyms

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

Antonyms

nonadhesive

Related Words

gelatinous, gooey, ropy (also ropey), syrupy, viscous; pitchy, tarry

Near Antonyms

nonviscous

ADHERENT Defined for English Language Learners

adherent

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noun

Definition of adherent for English Language Learners

: a person who is loyal to a leader, group, or religion : a person who adheres to or supports a system or set of principles

ADHERENT Defined for Kids

adherent

play

noun ad·her·ent \ ad-ˈhir-ənt \

Definition of adherent for Students

:a person who is loyal to a belief, an organization, or a leader

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See words that rhyme with adherent Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for adherent Spanish Central: Translation of adherent Nglish: Translation of adherent for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of adherent for Arabic speakers

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adherent

Definition of adherent

adherently

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Origin and Etymology of adherent

adherent Synonyms

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ADHERENT Defined for English Language Learners

adherent

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