cleaves

verb

present tense third-person singular of cleave
as in adheres
to hold to something firmly as if by adhesion you should resolutely cleave to the facts in your report

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cleaves Six oil and gas freighters were observed navigating on a route that cleaves close to Oman’s coast. — Weilun Soon, Fortune, 5 July 2026 As Otto groans, Rhaenrya pulls back and cleaves off Otto's head. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 29 June 2026 With a rock in a sock, Racine cleaves her own bloody swath down her father’s path, embracing her genetic destiny. — Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 15 May 2026 This enzyme cleaves the ester bonds in the neuronal portion of the back retina—the retinal pigment epithelium— to create a usable form of vitamin A, a molecule called 11-cis-retinal. — Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 4 May 2026 Altai Mountains, Mongolia Hunting with eagles on horseback is a tradition found in a region of Mongolia that cleaves close to Russia, China, and Kazakhstan. — Rob Crossan, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Apr. 2026 Where Hansen-Løve cleaves closely to her characters, Schanelec takes a step back, filming in long and middle distance shots. — Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 17 Feb. 2026 Consider the unending angst about the team’s former name, which still cleaves fans into opposing camps. — David Aldridge, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025 The analysis found that motorists who travel on Chain of Lakes Drive, which cleaves through Golden Gate Park to connect the Sunset and Richmond districts, saw the sharpest increase in rush hour congestion. — Ko Lyn Cheang, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleaves
  1. adheres
  2. clings
  3. sticks
Verb
  • This helps ensure the new grout adheres properly.
    — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 10 June 2026
  • Though Ecco adheres by the principle that form follows function, its walking shoes are still mighty stylish.
    — Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 6 June 2026
Definition of adheres
Verb
  • The present clings to the past, like fava bean pesto should adhere to al dente paccheri.
    — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 9 July 2026
  • The dream has to be pinned down, even though a faint trace of this truth still clings to it.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 June 2026
Definition of clings
Verb
  • The standout episode—the conversion history of Kendra, a Black striver married to the Schwoopers’ daughter, Shira—sticks its landing, enabling the viewer to see faith as a refuge, not a cage.
    — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 July 2026
  • Otherwise, Kail sticks closely to the template established for him, recreating every scene and sequence from the first movie with ruthless fidelity and adding essentially no departures of any significance.
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 8 July 2026
Definition of sticks

Browse Nearby Words

cleavers
cleaves
cleaves (to)
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Cite this Entry

“Cleaves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleaves. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cleaves

Nglish: Translation of cleaves for Spanish Speakers

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