as in sticky
tending to adhere to objects upon contact
walked barefoot through adhesive, clayey mud
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in glue
a substance used to stick things together
prefers postage stamps coated with adhesive so that she doesn't have to do any licking
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of adhesive
Devonne Goode, Parents, 7 Apr. 2026
Kinesiology tape, also called KT tape, is a flexible, adhesive cotton tape frequently seen attached to athletes’ joints, limbs or major muscle areas.
—Kaan Ozcan, NBC news, 4 Apr. 2026
Maddie Topliff, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Apr. 2026
On March 31, a Good Samaritan brought in a 6-week-old kitten to the Humane Society of North Texas (HSNT) after finding the feline caught in a bucket of industrial adhesive.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for adhesive
Adjective
Not only are the curtains 50 inches wide and impenetrable, the full kit comes with non-damaging adhesive and magnetic blocks to create a full seal, eliminating light leakage around window edges.
—Devonne Goode, Parents, 7 Apr. 2026
Kinesiology tape, also called KT tape, is a flexible, adhesive cotton tape frequently seen attached to athletes’ joints, limbs or major muscle areas.
—Kaan Ozcan, NBC news, 4 Apr. 2026
Noun
However, fast-dry or humidity-resistant adhesives and paints can help combat less-than-ideal weather.
—Maddie Topliff, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Apr. 2026
On March 31, a Good Samaritan brought in a 6-week-old kitten to the Humane Society of North Texas (HSNT) after finding the feline caught in a bucket of industrial adhesive.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for adhesive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adhesive
Adjective
-
The worry looming over the economy Earlier this month, Dimon had also warned in his shareholder letter that the war in Iran risks oil and commodity price shocks that could keep inflation sticky and push interest rates higher than the market now expects.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
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Apollo chief economist Torsten Slok has warned the combination of tariffs, sticky inflation, and slowing growth can create a stagflation-like setup, one that would be hostile to both markets and consumers.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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These ragtag misfits, who are all incredibly talented and who are in desperate need of each other, and the glue that binds them together is the music and the city.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
23 Apr. 2026
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Plant it glue-stopper-side down, leaving the top drainage hole exposed and accessible above the soil.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Europe’s regulatory environment and environmental standards could also pose a disproportionate burden for local farmers adherent to the laws, farmers have said.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
9 Jan. 2026
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This particular kit is well-stocked, featuring classic first aid essentials like non-adherent pads, gauze, triple antibiotic ointment and BZK antiseptic wipes.—
Jessie Quinn,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Adhesive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adhesive. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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