Word
adhere
Meanings
to stick firmly to a surface
to follow a rule, instruction, plan, or standard closely
to remain loyal to a belief, principle, or agreement
Definition
To adhere means to stick firmly to something or to follow a rule, plan, or belief closely.
To adhere can describe something physically sticking to a surface, often tightly and for a long time. More commonly, it means to follow rules, instructions, or principles carefully and consistently. It can also mean to remain loyal to a belief or agreement even when it is difficult.
Examples
- I adhere to a strict editing routine so that my articles stay consistent across sections.
- She adheres to the laboratory protocol even when the schedule is under pressure.
- They adhered to the timeline, but they still left room for careful revision at the end.
- If you adhere to the guidelines, your proposal will be easier for the committee to evaluate.
- He tried to adhere to his principles, despite the temptation to take an easier route.
Common mistake
Learners often omit the preposition and say "adhere the rules" instead of "adhere to the rules."
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More verbs
- analyze To examine something carefully in order to understand it or explain it.
- scrutinize To scrutinize something is to examine it very carefully and in detail.
- affect To affect something is to influence it or cause it to change.
- allude To allude means to mention or suggest something indirectly without saying it clearly.
- elude To elude someone or something is to avoid being caught, understood, or remembered.