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Meaning & use

cohesive

adjective·Academic

Last updated

UK/kəʊˈhiːsɪv/
US/koʊˈhiːsɪv/

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparable

    United and working well together as a group.

    Grammar: Describes groups or teams; can be used with 'more' or 'most'.

    Patterns

    • a cohesive group
    • a cohesive team
    • remain cohesive

    The coach worked hard to build a cohesive team.

    After the crisis, the community became more cohesive.

    A cohesive family supports each other through difficult times.

  2. adjectivecomparable

    Connected in a clear and logical way, so that the parts form a whole.

    Grammar: Often describes writing, arguments, or designs; can be used with 'more' or 'most'.

    Patterns

    • a cohesive argument
    • a cohesive essay
    • make something cohesive

    The essay is cohesive because each paragraph links to the next.

    The designer created a cohesive look for the whole website.

    Her presentation was clear and cohesive, with a strong conclusion.

Word forms

comparativemore cohesive
superlativemost cohesive

Common combinations

cohesive team
A cohesive team communicates openly.
cohesive whole
The separate scenes form a cohesive whole.
socially cohesive
The neighborhood is socially cohesive.
cohesive writing
Cohesive writing uses transitions between ideas.

Synonyms and how they differ

unified
Emphasizes being joined into one; 'cohesive' stresses the strong connections that hold the parts together.
connected
More general; 'cohesive' implies a tighter, more purposeful unity.

Opposites

dividedfragmenteddisjointed

Word family

cohesion noun
The state of sticking together or being united.
cohesiveness noun
The quality of being cohesive.
cohere verb
To stick together or form a united whole.

Commonly confused: cohesive or coherent?

cohesive vs coherent

Coherent means clear and easy to understand; cohesive means the parts are well connected and form a unified whole. A text can be coherent but not very cohesive if the ideas are clear but poorly linked.

Practice

The community is very _____; neighbors help each other and join in local events.

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