adjective
-
characterized by or causing cohesion
-
tending to cohere or stick together
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of cohesive
First recorded in 1720–30; cohes(ion) + -ive
Explanation
When the parts of the whole work or fit together well, they are cohesive, like a cohesive family whose members pitch in with everything from making dinner to painting the house. The adjective cohesive comes from the Latin word cohaerere, or “to cleave together.” Cohesive things stick together, so they are unified. A cohesive neighborhood's members get together to plan things like block parties, and they work together to solve problems. A cohesive fitness plan would include menus and exercise routines designed to lose weight, build muscle, and so on.
Vocabulary lists containing cohesive
Keystone Exams: English Composition Glossary
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Florida EOC Biology 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Content Summary G.2: Regionalization
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“In pop culture, we have introduced an entirely new fandom experience and destination that leans into things like trading cards and collectibles, but also exclusive collaborations, into one cohesive experience,” Sylvester said.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
All have now won full caps, but were moulded into a collective, cohesive unit - something that has often been beyond the senior side - by Israel's age-grade coach Ofir Haim.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
He’s never had a more talented and cohesive line in his two-plus decades of coaching high school football.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
“Sometimes you are cutting Oscar-winning scenes and leaving them on the floor because they don’t tell the cohesive story.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
In his spare time Bloom had organized the ushers, checkers, and refreshment sellers into a more efficient, cohesive structure that greatly increased the theater’s profits and his own salary.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
