Synonyms of adhere

adhere

verb

ad-ˈhir 

as in to cling

to hold to something firmly as if by adhesion

everyone started calling her "Cookie" when she was little and the name adhered

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cling
• stick
• glue
• cleave
• hew
• bind
• fasten
• unite
• fuse
• cohere

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fall
• loosen
• drop

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb adhere contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of adhere are cleave, cling, cohere, and stick. While all these words mean "to become closely attached," adhere is often interchangeable with stick but sometimes implies a growing together.

antibodies adhering to a virus

In what contexts can cleave take the place of adhere?

The synonyms cleave and adhere are sometimes interchangeable, but cleave stresses strength of attachment.

the wet shirt cleaved to his back

When might cling be a better fit than adhere?

In some situations, the words cling and adhere are roughly equivalent. However, cling implies attachment by hanging on with arms or tendrils.

clinging to a capsized boat

When is cohere a more appropriate choice than adhere?

While in some cases nearly identical to adhere, cohere suggests a sticking together of parts so that they form a unified mass.

eggs will make the mixture cohere

When can stick be used instead of adhere?

The words stick and adhere can be used in similar contexts, but stick implies attachment by affixing or by being glued together.

couldn't get the label to stick

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of adhere

To illustrate the absurdity of adhering too closely to genre conventions, Galloway describes a plot about an innocent girl who winds up in a strange town. —Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 7 Aug. 2025

As fiduciaries, trustees are charged with managing trust assets, making distributions according to the trust’s terms and adhering strictly to the grantor’s intent and the language in the trust agreement. —Royce Ramey, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025

Hayes shares with me that the lash bond used to adhere their falsies to your lashes is a much healthier option, because its formula does not utilize common but toxic ingredients found in other lash glues or bonds. —Essence, 31 July 2025

Her team was among the first to demonstrate that ultrathin, stretchable electronics could adhere seamlessly to the skin, offering a comfortable and unobtrusive way to monitor the body’s electrical activity. —IEEE Spectrum, 29 May 2025

Phrases Containing adhere

• adhere (to)