adjective
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characterized by or causing cohesion
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tending to cohere or stick together
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of cohesive
First recorded in 1720–30; cohes(ion) + -ive
Explanation
When the parts of the whole work or fit together well, they are cohesive, like a cohesive family whose members pitch in with everything from making dinner to painting the house. The adjective cohesive comes from the Latin word cohaerere, or “to cleave together.” Cohesive things stick together, so they are unified. A cohesive neighborhood's members get together to plan things like block parties, and they work together to solve problems. A cohesive fitness plan would include menus and exercise routines designed to lose weight, build muscle, and so on.
Vocabulary lists containing cohesive
Keystone Exams: English Composition Glossary
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Florida EOC Biology 1
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Content Summary G.2: Regionalization
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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.
“In pop culture, we have introduced an entirely new fandom experience and destination that leans into things like trading cards and collectibles, but also exclusive collaborations, into one cohesive experience,” Sylvester said.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
He’s never had a more talented and cohesive line in his two-plus decades of coaching high school football.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
But, the five firms struggled to form a cohesive strategy at EverBank, leading to tension between the owners and inside the boardroom, the people familiar with the matter said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
Released the previous year, “Rubber Soul” set things into motion — arguably rock’s first cohesive LP.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026
Paragraph breaks generally coincide with the divisions between branches in the discourse tree, that is, cohesive chunks of text.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
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.
