adhere

[ ad-heer ]

verb (used without object)

, ad·hered, ad·her·ing.

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

   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 by to ):

   to adhere to a party.

4. to hold closely or firmly (usually followed by to ):

   to adhere to a plan.

5. Obsolete. to be consistent.

verb (used with object)

, ad·hered, ad·her·ing.

1. to cause to adhere; make stick:

   Glue will adhere the tiles to the wallboard.

adhere

/ 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

Usage

See adhesion

Derived Forms

• adˈherence, noun

Other Words From

• ad·her·a·ble adjective
• ad·her·er noun
• pre·ad·here verb (used without object) preadhered preadhering

Word History and Origins

Origin of adhere¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Medieval Latin adhērēre for Latin adhaerēre ( ad- ad- + haerēre “to stick, cling”), perhaps via Middle French adhérer

Word History and Origins

Origin of adhere¹

C16: via Medieval Latin adhērēre from Latin adhaerēre to stick to

Synonym Study

See stick ².

Example Sentences

Growers have to adhere to strict oversight, including submitting paperwork each time a plant moves throughout facilities — and its lifecycle.

From TechCrunch

Water molecules like to adhere to one another, so without any present in the ground to help the flow, they tend to stay on top of the soil.

From Popular-Science

By way of summary, Apple's new guidelines say that any streaming game apps simply have to "adhere to all guidelines" for non-streaming apps.

From Ars Technica

China joins the World Trade Organization, agreeing to adhere to multilateral rules enforced by supranational arbitration panels.

From MIT Technology Review

All pages in the program are subject to an approval process and must adhere to the platform’s brand safety guidelines.

From Digiday

Internet media entrepreneur Nick Denton is a person to whom harsh judgments adhere like barnacles.

From The Daily Beast

Indeed, they view us as children who can never adhere to the standards of civility and decency to which they hold other groups.

From The Daily Beast

Powdered ink would adhere to the charged image and then it would be pressed via heat onto paper.

From The Daily Beast

Saudi Arabia should adhere to the international treaties concerning freedom of speech.

From The Daily Beast

Michelle: With everything we do in this show we really try to adhere to what would be psychologically true with Alicia.

From The Daily Beast

Both claim for those who adhere to them the character of being the only members of the true Church.

From Project Gutenberg

The "Readjusters" persuaded the Negroes to adhere to their ideas primarily for political reasons.

From Project Gutenberg

Don't adhere to a word therein contained; we will think for ourselves.

From Project Gutenberg

And this Notion the Clergy generally adhere to, because thereby they kill two or three Birds with one stone.

From Project Gutenberg

Back to the shore again he had to go, and adhere to the original plan of creeping along by the beach.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• comply
• heed
• obey
• observe
• stand by