cleaves

Definition of cleavesnext
present tense third-person singular of cleave
as in adheres
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

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cleaves Altai Mountains, Mongolia Hunting with eagles on horseback is a tradition found in a region of Mongolia that cleaves close to Russia, China, and Kazakhstan. Rob Crossan, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Apr. 2026 Where Hansen-Løve cleaves closely to her characters, Schanelec takes a step back, filming in long and middle distance shots. Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 17 Feb. 2026 Consider the unending angst about the team’s former name, which still cleaves fans into opposing camps. David Aldridge, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025 The analysis found that motorists who travel on Chain of Lakes Drive, which cleaves through Golden Gate Park to connect the Sunset and Richmond districts, saw the sharpest increase in rush hour congestion. Ko Lyn Cheang, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Sep. 2025 The barrier not only separates two empires and ideologies, but cleaves the psyches of the characters themselves. Literary Hub, 16 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleaves
Verb
  • But Paul Anthony Kelly is a less deft actor than Pidgeon, and he is given material that adheres even closer to the surface of the legend.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2026
  • But one coach who adheres closely is Army’s Jeff Monken.
    Seth Emerson, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Dust clings to screens, cobwebs build in rafters, pollen films over furniture and grit packs into door tracks.
    Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Apr. 2026
  • The large-scale return of the supposedly canceled can’t be blamed on collective amnesia, or even a public that clings to plausible deniability.
    Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • So people are just getting this enormous number of at bats in the hopes of trying to find the thing that sticks.
    Dana Taylor, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Lohan's day of filming included a version that sticks closely to the original blueprint.
    Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 3 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Cleaves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleaves. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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