adherence

noun

ad·​her·​ence ad-ˈhir-ən(t)s 

əd-

1

: the act, action, or quality of adhering

adherence of paint to wood

2

: steady or faithful attachment : fidelity

adherence to a political party

Synonyms

• adhesion
• bonding
• cling

Examples of adherence in a Sentence

you'd think these refrigerator magnets would have better adherence—they fall off every time I open the door

adherence to convention requires that the couple send out formal wedding invitations

Recent Examples on the Web

These complexities highlight the need for thoughtful curation, rigorous validation, and adherence to ethical principles in transforming raw data into a reliable foundation for AI systems—a process. —Hamilton Mann, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024

Schools were instead affected by their administrative adherence to First Amendment principles. —Angele Latham, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024

Flying a drone for videos or newsgathering requires a drone pilot certificate and adherence to the FAA's Small UAS Rule. —John Bacon, The Courier-Journal, 18 Dec. 2024

These reports mandate strict adherence from administrative bodies to businesses within the region, with fashion enterprises being no exception. —Li Jun, WWD, 15 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French adherance, aerdaunce, aherdance "act of adhering, faction, supporters," borrowed from Medieval Latin adhaerentia, going back to Late Latin, "act of adhering," derivative of Latin adhaerent-, adhaerens, present participle of adhaerēre "to adhere"

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

adherence

noun

ad·​her·​ence ad-ˈhir-ən(t)s 

əd-

1

: the action or quality of adhering

2

: steady or faithful attachment

adherence to the truth