Standard Lemma guide

adherence

noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australian, UK: /ədˈhɪə.ɹəns/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Canada, US: /ədˈhɪɹ.əns/
  • CMU ARPABET: AH0 D HH IH1 R AH0 N S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A close physical union of two objects.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Faithful support for some cause.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Strict adherence to the rules is required.
  • The project failed because of poor adherence to deadlines.
  • Religious adherence can shape a community’s culture.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

An extent to which a patient continues an agreed treatment plan.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

The fulfilment of the legal obligation of residing with wife or husband.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Qualifier: Scots law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

faithful support for a cause or political party or religion

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • attachment to a formal agenda
  • adherence to a fat-free diet
  • the adhesion of Seville was decisive

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: attachment, adhesion

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: support

Narrower terms: ecclesiasticism, kabbalism, cabalism, royalism, traditionalism

6

noun

Meaning 6

the property of sticking together (as of glue and wood) or the joining of surfaces of different composition

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the mutual adhesiveness of cells
  • a heated hydraulic press was required for adhesion

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: adhesiveness, adhesion, bond

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: stickiness

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h2éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Latin haereō Latin adhaereō Latin adhaerēns Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Medieval Latin adhaerentiader. Middle French adhérenceder. English adherence From Middle French adhérence, from Latin adhærentia.

Across languages

Translations

23 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: сцепление (sceplenie) — union of two objects
  • Dutch: adhesie — union of two objects
  • Finnish: kiinnittyminen — union of two objects
  • Finnish: liimautuminen — union of two objects
  • Finnish: adherenssi — union of two objects
  • Irish: greamú — union of two objects
  • Portuguese: aderência — union of two objects
  • Russian: сцепле́ние (sceplénije) — union of two objects
  • Spanish: adherencia — union of two objects
  • Bulgarian: привързаност (privǎrzanost) — support for a cause
  • Dutch: trouw zijn aan — support for a cause
  • Finnish: kannatus — support for a cause
  • French: adhésion — support for a cause
  • German: Unterstützung — support for a cause
  • Polish: adherencja — support for a cause
  • Portuguese: aderência — support for a cause
  • Russian: приве́рженность (privéržennostʹ) — support for a cause
  • Volapük: züp — support for a cause
  • Finnish: adherenssi — (medicine)
  • Finnish: hoitoon sitoutuminen — (medicine)
  • French: observance — (medicine)
  • Walloon: atnance — (medicine)
  • Walloon: atna — (medicine)
Real reading context

adherence in complete knowledge articles