adhere
Americanverb (used without object)
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adheres,
present (3rd person singular)
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adhered,
past participle, past
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adhering
present participle
-
to stay attached; stick fast; cleave; cling (usually followed byto ).
The mud adhered to his shoes.
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Physics, Chemistry. (of two or more dissimilar substances) to be united by a molecular force acting in the area of contact.
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to be devoted in support or allegiance; be attached as a follower or upholder (usually followed byto ).
to adhere to a party.
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to hold closely or firmly (usually followed byto ).
to adhere to a plan.
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Obsolete. to be consistent.
verb (used with object)
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adheres,
present (3rd person singular)
-
adhered,
past participle, past
-
adhering
present participle
verb
-
(usually foll by to) to stick or hold fast
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(foll by to) to be devoted (to a political party, cause, religion, etc); be a follower (of)
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(foll by to) to follow closely or exactly
adhere to the rules
Synonym Usage
See stick 2.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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adheresimple
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adheressimple
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have adheredperfect
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has adheredperfect
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am adheringprogressive
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are adheringprogressive
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is adheringprogressive
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have been adheringperfect progressive
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has been adheringperfect progressive
Past
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adheredsimple
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had adheredperfect
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was adheringprogressive
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were adheringprogressive
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had been adheringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of adhere
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Medieval Latin adhērēre for Latin adhaerēre ( ad- ad- + haerēre “to stick, cling”), perhaps via Middle French adhérer
Explanation
If you don't want monkey droppings to adhere to the sole of your shoe, watch where you’re walking. Maybe if you'd adhere, or stick to, the zoo rules and stay on the walking path, you wouldn't have to worry about it. Adhere is from the 15th-century French verb meaning "to stick." Things that are sticky will adhere, or attach, to surfaces and stay there, whether you want them to or not; in other words, they're adhesive, an adjective that comes from the same Latin source as the French verb. When a person chooses to adhere to something, it is more of a choice to stick with it or agree to abide by rules or guidelines. You can also adhere by being loyal, as when you adhere to the high moral standards or behavior expected of some organization.
Vocabulary lists containing adhere
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 2
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The Book Thief
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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.
See Examples For:
Traditionally, Japanese convenience stores have also required workers to adhere to relatively conservative dress codes, including bans on certain hair dyes and large earrings.
From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026
Many presidents adhere to this norm: My study shows that between 94% and 100% of people pardoned by George H.W.
From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2026
It also requires that they adhere to safety standards established by the National Fire Protection Assn.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
They believe that their behavior is reasonable if they adhere to the return window and keep the product in good condition.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
Upon arrival in the Himalaya, Pittman appeared to adhere as closely as possible to the proprieties of high society.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
The Houthis, predominantly Shia Muslims, and al-Shabaab, which adheres to Sunni Islam, are among the hundreds of millions divided by a seventh-century schism over who was the rightful successor to the Prophet Muhammad.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
"Our nation currently adheres to the 'three non-nuclear principles,'" she said in response to a direct question from Tanaka, without discussing what she might do next.
From Barron's ● Aug. 9, 2026
Sable maintains it has fully repaired the pipelines and that the company adheres to stringent safety precautions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
But the main reason is that Gorsuch adheres to a specific philosophy in how to read the law, called textualism.
From Slate ● May 13, 2026
This church adheres to many of the strict practices also promoted by Orthodox Judaism and has somewhere around forty million followers, such as Rameel and Isadora Desta of Addis Ababa.
From "Where Things Come Back" by John Corey Whaley
The stock market hasn’t adhered to this pattern this year, however.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026
He squeezed Silly Putty and strictly adhered to a physical therapy regimen.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
The day was sticky enough that the plastic adhered to my bare shoulder.
From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026
According to the State Armor report, ELI has adhered to internal guidelines that prohibit it from actively engaging in private litigation in China.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Some fur and a nubbin of something pink and pulpy still adhered to the bottom of his water bottle, I noticed when he raised it to his lips.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
At the heart of the showdown is his backing earlier this month of the Delivery Protection Act, which would force warehouse operators to get city licenses by adhering to new safety, training and employment requirements.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
The couple takes the Mills Act obligations, such as maintaining their home’s historic character and adhering to design guidelines, seriously.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Retaining that approachable, homespun persona while adhering to the sartorial conventions and expectations of Westminster will be a challenge for Burnham.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
That’s why farms emphasize safety rules for workers like wearing shoe covers and adhering to strict handwashing requirements.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026
He began to attack the ANC for not adhering to the agreements that we had made with the government.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions 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.
