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
Lindsey Mather, Architectural Digest, 7 Apr. 2026
Dotting the center of the flower in the same color as the pink tip creates a cohesive finish.
—Emily Kelleher, InStyle, 7 Apr. 2026
Clad in gray-green clapboards and unified by a chic sensibility across the new and old sections, the home feels both cohesive and inviting.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 6 Apr. 2026
There are three leather finishes available for the handles and accents—cognac, black and chocolate—all designed to pair with the brand’s backpack and briefcase ranges for a cohesive set.
—Charley Ward, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Apr. 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 9 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
cohesive
adjective
