adhered; adhering
1
: to hold fast or stick by or as if by gluing, suction, grasping, or fusing
The stamp failed to adhere to the envelope.
2
: to give support or maintain loyalty
adhere to traditional values
3
: to bind oneself to observance
adhere to the rules
4
obsolete
: accord sense intransitive 1
: to cause to stick fast
The paper had been adhered to the wall.
Examples of adhere in a Sentence
The stamp failed to adhere.
everyone started calling her “Cookie” when she was little and the name adhered
Recent Examples on the Web
But the kitchen, overseen by Curtola along with the chef de cuisine Ben Zook, seems more interested in conjuring an authenticity of atmosphere than in adhering strictly to traditional recipes or preparations.
—
Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2025
But the vote by the CDC’s advisory committee carries additional implications for vaccine access since some states adhere closely to its recommendations.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2025
Use washi tape to adhere each square together.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Sep. 2025
Dredge in panko, pressing gently to adhere.
—Ann Taylor Pittman, Southern Living, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for adhere
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Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2025
But the vote by the CDC’s advisory committee carries additional implications for vaccine access since some states adhere closely to its recommendations.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2025
Use washi tape to adhere each square together.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Sep. 2025
Dredge in panko, pressing gently to adhere.
—Ann Taylor Pittman, Southern Living, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for adhere
Cite this Entry
“Adhere.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adhere. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
adhere
verb
ad·here
ad-ˈhi(ə)r 
əd-
adhered; adhering
1
: to stay loyal (as to a cause or promise)
2
: to stick by or as if by gluing, suction, grasping, or melting
3
: to agree to observe
adhere to the rules
Medical Definition
adhere
verb
ad·here
ad-ˈhi(ə)r, əd-
adhered; adhering
1
: to hold fast or stick by or as if by gluing, suction, grasping, or fusing
a gauze bandage adhering to the wound
2
: to become joined (as in pathological adhesion)
the lung sometimes adheres to the pleura
: to cause to stick fast
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