coherent
Americanadjective
-
logically connected; consistent.
a coherent argument.
-
having a natural or due agreement of parts; harmonious.
a coherent design.
-
cohering; sticking together.
a coherent mass of sticky candies.
-
Physics, Optics. of or relating to waves that maintain a fixed phase relationship, as in coherent light, or light in which the electromagnetic waves maintain a fixed and predictable phase relationship with each other over a period of time.
adjective
-
capable of logical and consistent speech, thought, etc
-
logical; consistent and orderly
-
cohering or sticking together
-
physics (of two or more waves) having the same phase or a fixed phase difference
coherent light
-
(of a system of units) consisting only of units the quotient or product of any two of which yield the unit of the resultant quantity
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of coherent
First recorded in 1570–80; from Medieval Latin cohērent-, variant of Latin cohaerent- (stem of cohaerēns ), present participle of cohaerēre; see cohere, -ent
Explanation
Something coherent is logical and clear. "I told you if you didn't do your homework you couldn't watch TV. You didn't do your homework so you can't watch TV." This is a coherent argument (and annoying as well). The thing about such coherent arguments, as your Mom well knows, is that they are also easily and clearly understood. If someone speaks coherently, they are speaking clearly and lucidly. A slight variation on the meaning comes in the sense of something that is united clearly as a whole and a recognizable entity. You might say, for example, that New York City is a "culturally coherent region" within the United States.
Vocabulary lists containing coherent
Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 1
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!
List 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!
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
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.
But corporate America has not implemented a coherent approach to the issue or even acknowledged this reality, experts say.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 7, 2026
His research in coherent nanoscale laser spectroscopy helped make it possible to study molecules with atomic-scale precision.
From Science Daily • Jul. 5, 2026
The second is theoretically coherent but collapses in practice.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
So then we gave up on this mission of trying to make it feel coherent and consistent.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026
He mixed in various plot lines from Austrian, Norwegian and German sagas, and set about moulding them into a coherent dramatic whole.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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.
