CLEAVING Synonyms: 14 Similar and Opposite Words

cleaving

verb

present participle of cleave

as in adhering

to hold to something firmly as if by adhesion you should resolutely cleave to the facts in your report

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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 cleaving Daemon struggles to his feet, dazed, and begins cleaving his way through the smouldering city. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 By the time Lincoln was elected president in 1860, slavery was already cleaving the country. — Chris Kenning, USA Today, 2 July 2026 Something like cleaving a payroll system in three has to be done flawlessly, for example, so staff still get paid on time. — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 12 June 2026 Inequality is cleaving the haves and the have-nots. — Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 24 May 2026 The shakeup in Kraft Heinz’s senior ranks is an initial step in CEO Steve Cahillane’s ambitious plan to turn around the company, instead of cleaving its top-performing condiments and boxed meals apart from its lower-growth grocery staples. — Kristina Peterson, Bloomberg, 18 Feb. 2026 And of course, from a more skeptical perspective, the whole project could be described as cleaving close to the wisdom of the strippers in Gypsy. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleaving

Verb

Unlike in Cutud, participants are mostly female faith healers adhering not to vows but to mystic trances and possession.

— H.M.A. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 10 July 2026
Decorating rules can be helpful guidelines, but adhering too strictly to conventional wisdom can seriously cramp your style.

— Kristin Hohenadel, The Spruce, 23 June 2026

Definition of adhering

Verb

Our world is changing rapidly, and we are torn between adaptation, and clinging to the status quo.

— John Vaillant, Time, 8 Aug. 2026
Tears, clinging and nervousness are familiar scenes at kindergarten drop-off, and understanding kindergarten separation anxiety can make the difference between a bumpy morning and one that builds a child’s confidence.

— Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of clinging

Verb

Florida Attorney General James Ulthmeier once again is grandstanding and sticking his nose into a national issue.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2026
Packers rookie defensive tackle Anthony Campbell has gone from an enormous longshot to make the roster to having a puncher’s chance of sticking.

— Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026