Definition of coherenext

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb cohere contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of cohere are adhere, cleave, cling, and stick. While all these words mean "to become closely attached," cohere suggests a sticking together of parts so that they form a unified mass.

eggs will make the mixture cohere

When can adhere be used instead of cohere?

While in some cases nearly identical to cohere, adhere is often interchangeable with stick but sometimes implies a growing together.

antibodies adhering to a virus

In what contexts can cleave take the place of cohere?

The meanings of cleave and cohere largely overlap; however, cleave stresses strength of attachment.

the wet shirt cleaved to his back

When would cling be a good substitute for cohere?

The words cling and cohere can be used in similar contexts, but cling implies attachment by hanging on with arms or tendrils.

clinging to a capsized boat

When is it sensible to use stick instead of cohere?

In some situations, the words stick and cohere are roughly equivalent. However, stick implies attachment by affixing or by being glued together.

couldn't get the label to stick

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cohere Still, somehow, the film does eventually cohere into a half-decent entertainment, as Humdinger’s greed leads to an environmental disaster that threatens to destroy dogs and dinos alike. Caspar Salmon, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026 The Willamette is less a river running through Oregon than one of the reasons Oregon coheres at all. Spencer Elliott, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026 Parmigiano was a sign that not only the culture but the idea of the country itself was beginning to cohere into a tangible political reality. Literary Hub, 11 June 2026 Maslany is the dynamic center of a story that twists in unexpected directions, giving Paula enough intelligence, warmth, and edginess to make her character cohere. Judy Berman, Time, 20 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for cohere
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cohere
Verb
  • The announcement followed Tilbury’s 2022 appointment as the trust’s ambassador for enterprise and coincided with its 50th anniversary gala, held in New York.
    Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • That was the year voters passed an amendment to the original term limits, removing a 12-year total limit in order to be able to comply with a new state law mandating that local elections coincide with state regulations.
    Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The scandal surrounding the prosecution was heightened by his father’s attempt to stop his relatives from cooperating with authorities.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Farm Adventures is based in Iredell County and books events in surrounding communities, and officials say the owner has been cooperating with the investigation.
    Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Back in 2015, Parton and her team buried a chestnut box filled with physical copies of a brand new song in two formats, cassette and CD, along with their corresponding players, under her Dollywood DreamMore Resort and Spa.
    Isabelle Farina, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The cabin sound is enhanced using technology that senses intake pressure and creates a corresponding engine sound routed through the speakers.
    Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Data center backlash is also uniting people from across the political spectrum ahead of the midterm elections.
    Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
  • At home several center-right parties initially declined to join his coalition, illustrating the challenge of uniting the broader Brazilian right behind his candidacy.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • All of the windows—and even the kitchen island and the couple’s bed platform—conform to the same dimensions.
    Sean Santiago, Architectural Digest, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Joby has flown its first FAA-conforming aircraft and entered the final stage of type certification.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 5 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Ramya collaborated with Lotus Bloom and her friend Sandy Gill to customize a Papa Don’t Preach lehenga.
    Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The pair collaborated on the track for the band’s third studio album Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night, and last performed it together in 2020 during a live performance recorded on the rooftop of Electric Lady Studios in New York City.
    Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Iran and Oman, meanwhile, have agreed on a temporary maritime corridor intended to restore safer passage through the strait.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • No one else on earth could get those two to agree on anything, but that’s the power of Dolly Parton.
    Hunter Kelly, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The first of 16 aircraft fitted with the seats is expected to arrive in 2028.
    Jenny Lee, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • European security officials officials said an explosive drone found at Leipzig/Halle airport in Germany fits a pattern of likely Russian aggression across Europe.
    Catherine Belton, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Cohere.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cohere. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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