coherence

noun

co·​her·​ence kō-ˈhir-ən(t)s  -ˈher- 

1

: the quality or state of cohering: such as

a

: systematic or logical connection or consistency

The essay as a whole lacks coherence.

b

: integration of diverse elements, relationships, or values

"The various parts of this house—discrete in color, in shape, in placement—join together with remarkable coherence."

—Paul Goldberger

2

: the property of being coherent

a plan that lacks coherence

Synonyms of coherence

• symmetry
• orchestration
• proportion
• correlation
• harmony
• unity

Examples of coherence in a Sentence

the house has been expanded and remodeled so many times that now it's a jumbled mess that lacks coherence

Recent Examples on the Web

That coherence is now collapsing. —Richard Hughes Iv, STAT, 12 Jan. 2026

This year, the voting body once again tried to reinvent itself with a new category (Best Podcast) while still pretending to offer a peek into Hollywood glamour, and the resulting ceremony was a lot of mania and little coherence. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026

Panama’s post-Noriega experience shows that while intervention toppled the military, democratic reconstruction was slow and uneven; external forces cannot create institutional coherence or political trust. —Cristina Guevara, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026

Advertisement This coherence cannot be restored through technology alone. —Klaus Schwab, Time, 5 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

coher(ent) + -ence, after Latin cohaerentia

First Known Use

circa 1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for coherence

• adherence
• appearance
• preclearance
• clearance
• disappearance
• incoherence
• interference
• perseverance
• reappearance
• noninterference