adherence

noun

ad·​her·​ence ad-ˈhir-ən(t)s How to pronounce adherence (audio)
əd-
Synonyms of adherence
1
: the act, action, or quality of adhering
adherence of paint to wood
2
: steady or faithful attachment : fidelity
adherence to a political party

Synonyms of adherence

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of adherence in a Sentence

you'd think these refrigerator magnets would have better adherence—they fall off every time I open the door adherence to convention requires that the couple send out formal wedding invitations
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The humidity-resistant, child-resistant container can be composted or recycled, reducing plastic use by up to 71%; pharmacies can also brand the tube or print adherence instructions directly on it. — Lauryn Higgins, Time, 15 Oct. 2026 The honest read of the current evidence is less about one universally best hour than about matching the window to the outcome, whether that’s adherence, heart health, muscle or sleep. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026 Manufacturers reach patients at the shelf; access and adherence messages move through pharmacy systems. — Harshit Jain, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026 As a critical first step, the intelligence committees should initiate a thorough oversight investigation into how the norm has been implemented in practice and the current administration’s adherence to its prohibitions. — David S. Cohen, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for adherence

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French adherance, aerdaunce, aherdance "act of adhering, faction, supporters," borrowed from Medieval Latin adhaerentia, going back to Late Latin, "act of adhering," derivative of Latin adhaerent-, adhaerens, present participle of adhaerēre "to adhere"

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of adherence was in the 15th century

Rhymes for adherence

See All Rhymes for adherence

Browse Nearby Words

adhere
adherence
adherency
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Adherence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adherence. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

adherence

noun
ad·​her·​ence ad-ˈhir-ən(t)s How to pronounce adherence (audio)
əd-
1
: the action or quality of adhering
2
: steady or faithful attachment
adherence to the truth
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of fervid

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All