coherence

noun

co·​her·​ence kō-ˈhir-ən(t)s How to pronounce coherence (audio) -ˈher- How to pronounce coherence (audio)
Synonyms of coherencenext
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This dual approach allows the brand to react swiftly to shifts in taste and lifestyle while maintaining coherence with the broader strategic roadmap. Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 19 Dec. 2025 The production designers say that coherence is what allows audiences to suspend their disbelief and enter Pandora as real. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 19 Dec. 2025 Working independently from his Vallée de Joux workshop since 2017, the Swiss watchmaker treats watchmaking less as an exercise in complication and more as a problem of physics, constraint management, and long-term mechanical coherence. Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 18 Dec. 2025 Design plays a central role in that sense of coherence, too. John Wogan, Travel + Leisure, 18 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for coherence

Word History

Etymology

coher(ent) + -ence, after Latin cohaerentia

First Known Use

circa 1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of coherence was circa 1580

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Cite this Entry

“Coherence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coherence. Accessed 22 Dec. 2025.

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