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The Latin verb haerēre has shown remarkable stick-to-itiveness in influencing the English lexicon, which is fitting for a word that means "to be closely attached; to stick." Among its descendants are adhere (literally meaning "to stick"), adhere’s relative adhesive (a word for sticky substances), inhere (meaning "to belong by nature or habit"), and even hesitate (which implies remaining stuck in place before taking action). In Latin, haerēre teamed up with the prefix co- to form cohaerēre, which means "to stick together." Cohaerēre is the ancestor of cohesive, a word borrowed into English in the early 18th century to describe something that sticks together literally (such as dough or mud) or figuratively (such as a society or sports team).
Examples of cohesive in a Sentence
R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026
Uncertainty, ambivalence, confusion, and delusion—the musical statements on Middle of Nowhere are confident and cohesive, but Musgrave’s lyrical point of view seems to blow hither and yon from song to song.
—Molly Mary O’Brien, Pitchfork, 1 May 2026
Both still give your guests some creative freedom while providing direction so that the meal is cohesive and checks all the boxes.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 1 May 2026
Pair it with the matching coffee table (also on sale) for a cohesive look.
—Christina Shepherd McGuire, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cohesive
Cite this Entry
“Cohesive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cohesive. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
cohesive
adjective
