Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for "adhering"
  • present participle of adhere.
Search instead for adhering to.
Synonyms

adhering

American  
[ad-heer-ing] / ædˈhɪər ɪŋ /

adjective

  1. attaching or staying attached; sticking, or causing something to stick, to something else.

    She worked away with a steel scraper to loosen the adhering carpet where it had been glued to the floor.

  2. devoted in allegiance; attached as a follower, supporter, or member.

    Under the OECD Council decision on multinational enterprises, each adhering country must set up a National Contact Point for dispute resolution.

  3. holding firmly or closely to something (often used in combination).

    Respond to all employee complaints promptly and in a professional, confidential, policy-adhering manner.


noun

  1. the act or fact of sticking, clinging, or holding closely or firmly to something.

    We can't just call for an adhering to due process—we need to actually ensure that due process happens.

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

    The adhering of the molecules of a gas on the surface of a solid is called adsorption.

  3. the fact of being devoted or attached to a person or thing as a follower, member, or supporter.

    Under the law, cruising in an enemy ship intending to capture or destroy American ships is an adhering to the enemies of the United States.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of adhering

First recorded in 1545–55; adher(e) ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. ) for the adjective senses; adher(e) ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. ) for the noun senses

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:

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

However researchers say there is not a process to evaluate whether schools are fully adhering to the mandate.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 18, 2026

The government maintains it was Velasquez who ordered the gang to begin adhering to the same rules laid down by the gang’s leadership in El Salvador.

From Los Angeles Times May 28, 2026

The statement also said that Ukrainian forces "are causing damage to military infrastructure and facilities used for military purposes, strictly adhering to the norms of international humanitarian law, laws and customs of war".

From BBC May 22, 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

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training