coherent

adjective

co·her·ent | \ kō-ˈhir-ənt ,

-ˈher- \

Definition of coherent

1a : logically or aesthetically ordered or integrated : consistent coherent style a coherent argument

b : having clarity or intelligibility : understandable a coherent person a coherent passage

2 : having the quality of holding together or cohering especially : cohesive, coordinated a coherent plan for action

3a : relating to or composed of waves having a constant difference in phase coherent light

b : producing coherent light a coherent source

Other Words from coherent Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about coherent

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Examples of coherent in a Sentence

… the diaries and the novels demonstrate how a novelist tweaks and grooms reality into something more structured and coherent than life as it is lived. —Penelope Lively, Atlantic, February 2001 He is without a political agenda as he is without a coherent moral sensibility. —Joyce Carol Oates, Entertainment Weekly, 27 July 1990 At times, without my insisting on it, my writings become coherent; the successive elements that occur to me are clearly related. —William Stafford, Writing the Australian Crawl, 1978 This time the song was old, a pattern of rhythmic monosyllables which had lost coherent meaning somewhere in time. —Tony Hillerman, The Blessing Way, 1970 He proposed the most coherent plan to improve the schools. They are able to function as a coherent group.

Recent Examples on the Web

But Election Year is a more coherent thriller that echoes classic neo-exploitation films like Escape from New York, as an anti-Purge politician tries to survive an assassination attempt. — Tasha Robinson, The Verge, "10 subversive, dark American futures to stream on July 4th," 4 July 2018 The chocolate melted delightfully, completely goopy at one end and still slightly coherent at the end that got marshmallowed slightly later. — Evelyn Lamb, Smithsonian, "The Scientific Quest For the Perfect S’more," 13 July 2018 Simultaneously, Moshfegh’s sentences are sharp and coherent. — Walton Muyumba, latimes.com, "Detachment and dreaming in 'My Year of Rest and Relaxation' by Ottessa Moshfegh," 12 July 2018 When paramedics arrived, the woman was breathing and conscious, although not coherent, Holm said. — Jane Ford-stewart, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Lifeguard saves woman from nearly drowning at the Southwest YMCA in Greenfield," 22 June 2018 This music-creation tool, sadly, was far too unwieldy in a brief demo to make anything that actually sounded coherent or rhythmic. — Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, "Dreams PS4 world-premiere hands-on: Finally, a good 3D take on LittleBigPlanet," 21 May 2018 Trump's policy strategy since has been surprisingly linear and coherent for an administration that has unfolded in a whirl of chaos. — Stephen Collinson, CNN, "Trump deserves credit for Korean thaw," 27 Apr. 2018 Her task will be further complicated by Labour under Jeremy Corbyn, which has yet to produce its own coherent plan. — The Economist, "A new Brexit plan creates fresh depths of chaos," 12 July 2018 But the more widespread idea that these geographical differences are really important to understanding the economy doesn’t necessarily translate to a coherent set of policies. — Neil Irwin, New York Times, "One County Thrives. The Next One Over Struggles. Economists Take Note.," 29 June 2018

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