English Reference
Noun

adherence

n. uncountable
C1 Advanced US /ədˈhɪɹəns/ UK /ɐdhˈiəɹəns/ ad·her·ence UK spelling adherences Medicine

n.the act of sticking to a rule, plan, or belief. You use this word when someone follows instructions or stays loyal to a cause.

n.the action of sticking to a rule, plan, or belief; compliance with a standard or loyalty to a cause.


SIMPLE

Her strict adherence to the diet helped her lose weight.

CONTEXTUAL

The doctor praised the patient's adherence to the daily medication schedule.

COMPLEX

Success in the project depended less on technical skill and more on the team's unwavering adherence to the agreed timeline.

Usage

Typically followed by the preposition 'to'.

Previous research has found that stronger adherence to LS7 is associated with better cognitive performance, healthier brains, and a lower risk of dementia.

ScienceDaily· 16 Aug 2026

Also, given the apparent lack of adherence to some current rules, a call for tightened guidance could appear appropriate.

Phys.org· 27 Aug 2026

From Middle French adhérence, from Latin adhærentia.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin adhaerentia
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated