Meaning & use
adhere
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Meanings
verbintransitive
To stick firmly to a surface or to another substance.
Grammar: No object; usually followed by to: the tape adheres to the wall.
Patterns
- adhere to something
The paint will not adhere to a wet surface.
Dust adhered to the screen.
Make sure the label adheres to the bottle.
verbintransitiveformal
To keep following a rule, plan, belief or standard without changing it.
Grammar: No object; always followed by to: adhere to the schedule.
Patterns
- adhere to something
All visitors must adhere to the safety rules.
The company adheres to strict environmental standards.
She adhered to her diet for six months.
verbintransitiveformal
To stay loyal to a group, cause or religion and support it.
Grammar: No object; used with to: adhere to a faith.
Patterns
- adhere to a party
- adhere to a faith
Many members still adhere to the old traditions.
He adhered to the party through years of defeat.
The villagers adhere to a faith that is centuries old.
Word forms
| third person singular | adheres |
|---|---|
| past tense | adhered |
| past participle | adhered |
| -ing form | adhering |
Common combinations
- adhere to the rules
- Players must adhere to the rules of the tournament.
- adhere strictly
- The staff adhere strictly to the safety code.
- adhere to a schedule
- The builders failed to adhere to the schedule.
- adhere firmly
- The glue adheres firmly to wood.
- adhere to a principle
- The judge adheres to the principle of fairness.
- adhere closely
- The film adheres closely to the original novel.
Synonyms and how they differ
- stick
- Stick is the everyday word for physical attachment and also works in casual talk, while adhere sounds more technical or formal.
- comply
- Comply means to do what a rule or order requires, but adhere suggests continued, committed following.
- follow
- Follow is general and needs no preposition, while adhere to implies close and faithful observance.
- abide by
- Abide by is similar for rules but focuses on accepting and respecting them, while adhere stresses not departing from them.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: adhere or inhere?
adhere vs inhere
Inhere means to be a permanent part of something, not to stick on or to follow rules.
Practice
All employees must adhere ______ the new safety policy.
Choose one answer.
Adhere is always followed by to, whether it means sticking to a surface or following a policy. With, for and on do not form a natural pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “adhere”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.