as in followers
one who follows the opinions or teachings of another
the Flat Earth Society surely doesn't have many adherents
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Recent Examples of adherents
Aleph and other Jewish chaplaincy groups say the chaplaincy system is being undermined by the Messianic movement, whose adherents may identify as Jews but are not recognized as such by any denomination of Judaism.
—
Asaf Elia-Shalev, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
Successful outreach requires making effort to understand how religious adherents think, acknowledging their concerns, and humbly recognizing that medical knowledge is shaped by more than mere empiricism.
—Cory Anderson, STAT, 6 Mar. 2026
Even some of its adherents were surprised Monday when the group launched a barrage of rockets and drones on Israeli positions across the border.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Ultimately, many of these books’ characters are portrayed as avatars of resentment and disaffection, men who seem to fall prey to the rigid vision of masculinity dispensed by real-life adherents to the manosphere.
—Eric Magnuson, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
For decades, skiing in the backcountry – far from chairlifts, parking lots and the apres-ski bar scene – was the domain of only the most dedicated, or the most anti-corporate, adherents of the sport.
—Sacbee.com, 28 Feb. 2026
Around 3 in 10 Americans are adherents of or sympathetic to Christian nationalism, the belief that America is or should be a Christian nation, according to data published in February by the Public Religion Research Institute.
—Brieanna J. Frank, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026
Each of these religious traditions urges its adherents to reflect on where they are headed, to return to God, to each other, to their best selves.
—Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 19 Feb. 2026
The men – Tyler Smith, Kyle Moreino and Joseph Shepard – are adherents of Native American religious traditions, according to the ACLU.
—Katie Mulvaney, The Providence Journal, 13 Feb. 2026
Asaf Elia-Shalev, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
Successful outreach requires making effort to understand how religious adherents think, acknowledging their concerns, and humbly recognizing that medical knowledge is shaped by more than mere empiricism.
—Cory Anderson, STAT, 6 Mar. 2026
Even some of its adherents were surprised Monday when the group launched a barrage of rockets and drones on Israeli positions across the border.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Ultimately, many of these books’ characters are portrayed as avatars of resentment and disaffection, men who seem to fall prey to the rigid vision of masculinity dispensed by real-life adherents to the manosphere.
—Eric Magnuson, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
For decades, skiing in the backcountry – far from chairlifts, parking lots and the apres-ski bar scene – was the domain of only the most dedicated, or the most anti-corporate, adherents of the sport.
—Sacbee.com, 28 Feb. 2026
Around 3 in 10 Americans are adherents of or sympathetic to Christian nationalism, the belief that America is or should be a Christian nation, according to data published in February by the Public Religion Research Institute.
—Brieanna J. Frank, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026
Each of these religious traditions urges its adherents to reflect on where they are headed, to return to God, to each other, to their best selves.
—Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 19 Feb. 2026
The men – Tyler Smith, Kyle Moreino and Joseph Shepard – are adherents of Native American religious traditions, according to the ACLU.
—Katie Mulvaney, The Providence Journal, 13 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adherents
Noun
-
Around the time the account hit 50,000 followers, Van der Velden announced that several talent agents were interested in representing Tilly.—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Lighthouse Studios’ first major effort is a partnership with director and creator Cole Bennett’s Lyrical Lemonade digital media venture that has more than 24 million YouTube followers.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
After playing multiple years in coordinator Vic Fangio’s defenses with the Dolphins and Eagles, Phillips will play for Ejiro Evero, who was Fangio’s assistant in 2014 and coached under one of his disciples, Brandon Staley.—
Ted Nguyen,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The other emerged from Jewish disciples of Jesus, eventually becoming Christianity, carrying the ethical inheritance of the Hebrew Scriptures across civilizations.—
Calev Myers,
New York Daily News,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
So what do those partisans want?—
Anthony Salvanto,
CBS News,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Millions of Democrats in Texas, Republicans in California and partisans in other states have been effectively disenfranchised, their voices rendered mute.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adherents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adherents. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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