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cohesive

adjective
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co·​he·​sive | \ kō-ˈhē-siv How to pronounce cohesive (audio) , -ziv \

Definition of cohesive

: exhibiting or producing cohesion or coherence a cohesive social unit cohesive soils the cohesive property of clay
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Other Words from cohesive

cohesively adverb
cohesiveness noun

Examples of cohesive in a Sentence

Their tribe is a small but cohesive group. Religion can be used as a cohesive social force.
Recent Examples on the Web This current exhibit, pairing painter Sharon Feder and photographer Dallas Parkins, is as cohesive as a two-person show gets. — Ray Mark Rinaldi, The Know, "5 fast, free shows: These art exhibits offer a low-risk, high-yield break from holiday stress," 8 Dec. 2019 Miller’s return should continue to allow the offense to be more cohesive. — Paul Hodowanic, Twin Cities, "With Kylie Miller back, Gophers volleyball team is whole again," 4 Dec. 2019 In clean food processor, pulse flour, salt, cornstarch and powdered sugar to blend, then add butter and flavorings and pulse until mixture forms a cohesive mass of dough. — Nancy Stohs, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "14 Holiday Cookie Contest winning recipes, ahead of this year's Dec. 4 reveal," 29 Nov. 2019 Well, my band is not really very cohesive right now. — Ed Masley, azcentral, "Curt Kirkwood of Meat Puppets says they've recaptured the chaos as reunion tour comes home," 25 Nov. 2019 All of this adds up to a long-term health-boosting vacation with programs that are impeccably cohesive and holistic. — Antonia Quirke, Condé Nast Traveler, "At Bali's COMO Shambhala, Skip the Wellness Fads in Favor of a True Reboot," 16 Nov. 2019 If Russia can get the E.U. to be less cohesive, Russia can play a bigger part. — Billy Perrigo, Time, "'It's Classified.' Boris Johnson Faces Calls to Release Secret Report on Russian Interference Ahead Of Election," 15 Nov. 2019 Rotate bowl a quarter-turn and repeat, until dough is a cohesive mass and no dry bits remain. 5. — Lisa Ludwinski, WSJ, "Pies That Bind: Thanksgiving Recipes From the Heartland," 15 Nov. 2018 In countries with weak civilian institutions, training talented and ambitious officers can skew the balance of power by making armies stronger and more cohesive—but not necessarily apolitical. — The Economist, "Friendly fire A shooting puts the spotlight on military training for allies," 12 Dec. 2019

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

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First Known Use of cohesive

circa 1731, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for cohesive

Latin cohaesus, past participle of cohaerēre "to stick together, cohere" + -ive

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Time Traveler for cohesive

Time Traveler

The first known use of cohesive was circa 1731

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Statistics for cohesive

Last Updated

21 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Cohesive.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cohesive. Accessed 26 January 2020.

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More Definitions for cohesive

cohesive

adjective
How to pronounce cohesive (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of cohesive

: closely united
: causing people to be closely united

See the full definition for cohesive in the English Language Learners Dictionary

cohesive

adjective
co·​he·​sive | \ kō-ˈhē-siv, -ziv How to pronounce cohesive (audio) \

Medical Definition of cohesive

: exhibiting or producing cohesion

Other Words from cohesive

cohesively adverb
cohesiveness noun

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More from Merriam-Webster on cohesive

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for cohesive

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with cohesive

Spanish Central: Translation of cohesive

Nglish: Translation of cohesive for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of cohesive for Arabic Speakers

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