cleaves

Definition of cleavesnext
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

Relevance

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 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 The barrier not only separates two empires and ideologies, but cleaves the psyches of the characters themselves. Literary Hub, 16 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleaves
Verb
  • But for the Christmas-week slate, when six of the 16 games were distributed via a premium platform, the league adheres closely to that 87% free model.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 11 May 2026
  • But Paul Anthony Kelly is a less deft actor than Pidgeon, and he is given material that adheres even closer to the surface of the legend.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Using tongs, lift the pasta out of the water and transfer it to the pan, bringing along any pasta water that clings and drips from the pasta.
    Karla Walsh, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
  • Yet there’s a strange karma that clings to the Cannes opener.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 12 May 2026
Verb
  • The film builds with confidence, earns its twist, and sticks the landing in a way that feels both inevitable and wholly unexpected.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 6 May 2026
  • So people are just getting this enormous number of at bats in the hopes of trying to find the thing that sticks.
    Dana Taylor, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cleaves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleaves. Accessed 13 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on cleaves

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster