Adherence — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ad-ˈhir-ən(t)s/ ad·her·ence

Meaning & Definition of Adherence

Adherence (noun)

  1. the act, action, or quality of adhering
  2. steady or faithful attachment, fidelity

Adherence (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a physical sticking to as if by glue

    "you'd think these refrigerator magnets would have better adherence—they fall off every time I open the door"

    similar: adhesion, bonding, cling
    related: agglutination, clumping, cohesion, adhesiveness, attachment, cohesiveness, tenacity, cementing, gluing
    opposite: detachment, loosening, unfixing, unsticking

  2. the following of a custom, rule, or law

    "adherence to convention requires that the couple send out formal wedding invitations"

    similar: abidance, compliance, conformance, conformity, keeping, obedience, observance, observation
    related: deference, honor, regard, respect, upholding, accession, acquiescence, submission, surrender, attendance, attention, heed, notice
    opposite: breach, contravention, infraction, infringement, nonobservance, transgression, trespass, violation
    near: brush-off, disregard, ignoring, delinquency, dereliction, forgetting, neglect, overlooking, offense, sin, wrong, challenge, defiance, flouting, rebellion

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Adherence

The most common words with a similar meaning to Adherence:

adhesion, bonding, cling, abidance, compliance, conformance, conformity, keeping, obedience, observance, observation

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Adherence

Words with the opposite meaning of Adherence:

detachment, loosening, unfixing, unsticking, breach, contravention, infraction, infringement, nonobservance, transgression, trespass, violation

Related Words for Adherence

agglutination, clumping, cohesion, adhesiveness, attachment, cohesiveness, tenacity, cementing, gluing, deference, honor, regard, respect, upholding, accession, acquiescence, submission, surrender, attendance, attention, heed, notice

Near Antonyms of Adherence

brush-off, disregard, ignoring, delinquency, dereliction, forgetting, neglect, overlooking, offense, sin, wrong, challenge, defiance, flouting, rebellion

Origin & Etymology of Adherence

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

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Adherence

Frequently Asked Questions about Adherence

What does "Adherence" mean?

"Adherence" means the act, action, or quality of adhering. As a noun, it is defined as: the act, action, or quality of adhering. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Adherence"?

Other words for "Adherence" include adhesion, bonding, cling, abidance, compliance, conformance, conformity and keeping. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Adherence" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Adherence"?

There are 33 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Adherence". Common alternatives include adhesion, bonding, cling, abidance, compliance, conformance, conformity, keeping, obedience and observance.

What is the opposite of "Adherence"?

Antonyms of "Adherence" include detachment, loosening, unfixing, unsticking, breach, contravention, infraction and infringement. Near antonyms include brush-off, disregard, ignoring and delinquency.

How do you use "Adherence" in a sentence?

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".

Is "Adherence" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Adherence" is a noun.

Is "Adherence" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Adherence" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Adherence"?

"Adherence" is pronounced /ad-ˈhir-ən(t)s/ and divided into syllables as ad·her·ence.