cleave

as in to adhere
to hold to something firmly as if by adhesion you should resolutely cleave to the facts in your report

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb cleave contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of cleave are adhere, cling, cohere, and stick. While all these words mean "to become closely attached," cleave stresses strength of attachment.

the wet shirt cleaved to his back

When might adhere be a better fit than cleave?

The words adhere and cleave can be used in similar contexts, but adhere is often interchangeable with stick but sometimes implies a growing together.

antibodies adhering to a virus

When is it sensible to use cling instead of cleave?

The meanings of cling and cleave largely overlap; however, cling implies attachment by hanging on with arms or tendrils.

clinging to a capsized boat

When could cohere be used to replace cleave?

The words cohere and cleave are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, cohere suggests a sticking together of parts so that they form a unified mass.

eggs will make the mixture cohere

Where would stick be a reasonable alternative to cleave?

While in some cases nearly identical to cleave, stick implies attachment by affixing or by being glued together.

couldn't get the label to stick

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleave
Verb
  • Drying too fast or too slow can affect how the paint adheres and compromise its longevity, resulting in premature failure.
    Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Using clean hands, gently press down all over to adhere fillings to dough.
    Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 3 May 2025
Verb
  • Fence bears out With snow still clinging to mountainsides and bears still asleep, some 30 people have shown up in a converted Fernie railway station to discuss grizzly bear coexistence.
    Lesley Evans Ogden, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 May 2025
  • Listen to this article The Queens single mom clinging to life after being savagely beaten and robbed of her e-bike on Randalls Island was left unconscious on the ground for nearly six hours before she was discovered by a passerby the next morning, the Daily News has learned.
    Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 22 May 2025
Verb
  • An animated Wheel Of Time, for instance, could stick closer to the source material while costing a fraction of what a live-action series costs.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
  • Philips sticked away a backhand attempt by Minnesota’s Brooke McQuigge just 35 seconds into overtime, with the Frost forward getting loose in front of the Ottawa net.
    Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 23 May 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Cleave.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleave. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.

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