adhere

American  

[ad-heer] / ædˈhɪər /

verb (used without object)

adhered, adhering

1. to stay attached; stick fast; cleave; cling (usually followed byto ).

   The mud adhered to his shoes.

   Antonyms:

   loosen, part

2. Physics, Chemistry. (of two or more dissimilar substances) to be united by a molecular force acting in the area of contact.

3. to be devoted in support or allegiance; be attached as a follower or upholder (usually followed byto ).

   to adhere to a party.

4. to hold closely or firmly (usually followed byto ).

   to adhere to a plan.

5. Obsolete. to be consistent.

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verb (used with object)

adhered, adhering

1. to cause to adhere; make stick.

   Glue will adhere the tiles to the wallboard.

adhere British  

/ ədˈhɪə /

verb

1. (usually foll by to) to stick or hold fast

2. (foll by to) to be devoted (to a political party, cause, religion, etc); be a follower (of)

3. (foll by to) to follow closely or exactly

   adhere to the rules

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Related Words

See stick ².

Other Word Forms

• adherable adjective
• adherence noun
• adherer noun
• preadhere verb (used without object)

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.

Example Sentences

And that’s dangerous because, as countless studies show, when youth don’t believe in the system, they are much less likely to adhere to it.

From Slate • Apr. 27, 2026

"At the same time, I ask that you respect the work of the emergency services and adhere to the existing protective measures."

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

Bianco, however, did not adhere to the attorney general’s request and went ahead with the ballot seizures.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

Stories about recessions frequently adhere to a boom-to-bust narrative arc.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

“No. St. John, I will not marry you. I adhere to my resolution.”

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

Related Words

• comply
• heed
• obey
• observe
• stand by