coherence

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   The quality of being logical, consistent, and easy to follow as a unified whole.

   Grammar: Uncountable; used with a singular verb, e.g., "Coherence is important."

   Patterns

   • coherence of something
   • coherence in something
   • lack of coherence
   • bring coherence to something

   The essay lacked coherence; the ideas jumped from one topic to another.

   The team worked to improve the coherence of their presentation.

   There is a surprising coherence between the two theories.

2. 2noununcountable

   The situation in which something such as a group or policy holds together and makes sense as a whole.

   Grammar: Uncountable; often used with "lack of" or "bring" to talk about unity.

   Patterns

   • coherence of something
   • lack of coherence
   • bring coherence to something

   The government's policies lack coherence; they often contradict each other.

   The new manager brought coherence to the department's goals.

   The coherence of the argument impressed the judges.

Common combinations

lack of coherence

The report was criticized for its lack of coherence.

coherence of thought

His coherence of thought made him a great philosopher.

coherence in writing

Good coherence in writing helps readers follow your ideas.

bring coherence to

She brought coherence to the chaotic project.

logical coherence

The theory's logical coherence convinced many scientists.

coherence between

There is little coherence between the two reports.

Synonyms and how they differ

consistency

Focuses on staying the same over time or not contradicting itself, while coherence emphasizes logical connection and understandability as a whole.

unity

Emphasizes being one whole thing; coherence is more about the logical connections that make that whole understandable.

logicality

A rare word meaning the quality of being logical; coherence is broader, including clarity and flow.

Opposites

Word family

coherent adjective

Logical and easy to understand; e.g., a coherent argument.

coherently adverb

In a logical and clear way; e.g., she spoke coherently.

incoherence noun

The quality of being confusing and not logical.

cohere verb

To be connected logically or to stick together.

Commonly confused: coherence or cohesion?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “coherence”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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