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The Latin verb haerēre has shown remarkable stick-to-itiveness in influencing the English lexicon, which is fitting for a word that means "to be closely attached; to stick." Among its descendants are adhere (literally meaning "to stick"), adhere’s relative adhesive (a word for sticky substances), inhere (meaning "to belong by nature or habit"), and even hesitate (which implies remaining stuck in place before taking action). In Latin, haerēre teamed up with the prefix co- to form cohaerēre, which means "to stick together." Cohaerēre is the ancestor of cohesive, a word borrowed into English in the early 18th century to describe something that sticks together literally (such as dough or mud) or figuratively (such as a society or sports team).
Examples of cohesive in a Sentence
Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 11 Jan. 2026
Clark pulls these plot tendrils into a cohesive story that delves deep into police investigations and the vagaries of Chicago.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
Both Chanel and Ilia offer satiny palettes with a tight curation of cohesive shades.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2026
Starting with pieces that share a similar undertone creates a look that feels cohesive and easy.
—Katherine J Igoe, InStyle, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cohesive
Cite this Entry
“Cohesive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cohesive. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
cohesive
adjective
