Did you know?
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
Cori Sears, The Spruce, 1 Feb. 2026
To keep things visually rich and cohesive, opt for a top and leggings that feature a lot of contrast, like the matte black puffer and high-shine leggings above, and finishing the look off with a pair of boots with design details that echo both your top and bottoms.
—Amber Rambharose, InStyle, 31 Jan. 2026
Royals manager Matt Quatraro is confident in the group and believes that a cohesive unit will set the foundation in spring training.
—Kansas City Star, 31 Jan. 2026
Brooks suggests creating a framed collection that includes the invitation, RSVP card, and details card for a cohesive display.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 30 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 6 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
cohesive
adjective
