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
Leftism thus constitutes an ongoing search for new causes to fight on behalf of, in a way that mobilizes adherents and creates solidarity among them.
—
Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 23 Mar. 2026
Both romantic trends have adherents who spin their retreat from status quo romance as a kind of liberation from modern expectations, and who position their marital arrangement as the logical extension of a deeper political project.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 18 Mar. 2026
Díaz-Canel’s words masked what was, for adherents of a revolution celebrated by the global left, a painful reality.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026
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
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
Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 23 Mar. 2026
Both romantic trends have adherents who spin their retreat from status quo romance as a kind of liberation from modern expectations, and who position their marital arrangement as the logical extension of a deeper political project.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 18 Mar. 2026
Díaz-Canel’s words masked what was, for adherents of a revolution celebrated by the global left, a painful reality.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adherents
Noun
-
Certainly, Gomez’s 425 million Instagram followers, who have hung on every twist and turn in the star’s overall wellness and beauty journey, have helped push Rare Beauty toward its purpose.—
Merle Ginsberg,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2026
-
During the confrontation, Hussein and his followers were massacred, but the imam’s quest for justice became a defining value of Shiite identity, fostering a sense of revolutionary duty to fight oppressors at any cost.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This egalitarian, crate-digging ethos makes a lot of sense next to MIKE and Earl Sweatshirt, who’ve fostered years of goodwill from uplifting their own disciples.—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The event commemorates the Last Supper and the day that Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, highlighting the importance of humility, Tatler reported.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Disrupting basic services to millions of Americans in such circumstances only makes sense to die-hard partisans.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
That was the result of angry partisans taking seriously Trump’s bogus election-fraud claims.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adherents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adherents. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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