coherent

American  

[koh-heer-uhnt, -her-] / koʊˈhɪər ənt, -ˈhɛr- /

adjective

1. logically connected; consistent.

   a coherent argument.

2. having a natural or due agreement of parts; harmonious.

   a coherent design.

3. cohering; sticking together.

   a coherent mass of sticky candies.

4. 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.

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coherent British  

/ kəʊˈhɪərənt /

adjective

1. capable of logical and consistent speech, thought, etc

2. logical; consistent and orderly

3. cohering or sticking together

4. physics (of two or more waves) having the same phase or a fixed phase difference

   coherent light

5. (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

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Other Word Forms

• coherently adverb
• noncoherent adjective

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.

Example Sentences

Whoever replaces Nunes on a permanent basis will have to make a coherent strategy for the company’s diverse interests to reverse its stock drop.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

This information is then compressed into a single image through dispersion-encoded coherent modulation imaging.

From Science Daily • Apr. 21, 2026

Newsroom turnover became a regular feature, and there was never a coherent set of priorities.

From Slate • Apr. 21, 2026

However, “Smile 2” is both gutsier and more coherent than the cerebral and moody “Mother Mary.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

Why do so many people—capable of delivering whole paragraphs of coherent argument in one-on-one conversation—falter when asked to speak in public?

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

Related Words

• comprehensible
• consistent
• intelligible
• logical
• lucid
• meaningful
• orderly
• rational
• reasoned
• systematic