Word
adherent
Phoneticsad·her·ent, stress on the second syllable
US/ədˈhɪɹənt/
UK/ɐdhˈiəɹənt/
Españoladherente
Countable noun
Definition
n. a person who strongly supports an idea, group, or leader.
n. a committed follower or supporter of a doctrine, movement, leader, or party. Implies active loyalty rather than passive agreement.
Examples
“She is a loyal adherent of healthy eating.”
“As a longtime adherent of the party, he volunteers every weekend during the campaign.”
“The philosopher attracted adherents across Europe who spread his ideas about reason long after his death.”
Examples
simple
“She is a loyal adherent of healthy eating.”
contextual
“As a longtime adherent of the party, he volunteers every weekend during the campaign.”
complex
“The philosopher attracted adherents across Europe who spread his ideas about reason long after his death.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “adherent” in context.
Verb
01. adherent believes
“Adherents believe strict discipline is essential for spiritual progress.”
noun + verb
02. adherent claims
“Adherents claim the diet can cure chronic health conditions.”
noun + verb
03. adherent insists
“Adherents insist that only their interpretation is correct.”
noun + verb
04. adherent supports
“Adherents support the leader's call for constitutional change.”
noun + verb
05. attract adherent
“The new movement attracted adherents from across the political spectrum.”
verb + noun
Adjective
06. ardent adherent
“He is an ardent adherent of classical liberal philosophy.”
adj + noun
07. devout adherent
“As a devout adherent of Buddhism, he meditates every morning.”
adj + noun
08. fervent adherent
“She is a fervent adherent of educational reform and school choice.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. adherent to cause
“Every adherent to the cause was expected to attend the rally.”
noun + prep + noun
10. adherent to doctrine
“He is a strict adherent to the doctrine of non-violence.”
noun + prep + noun
11. adherent to faith
“She is a lifelong adherent to the Catholic faith.”
noun + prep + noun
12. devout adherent of the faith
“She lived as a devout adherent of the Islamic faith.”
Usage
Commonly followed by 'of' to name the doctrine, movement, or leader supported.
Real-World Examples
“For many of its adherents, the urgent ethical requirement for people who want to do good is to stop artificial intelligence from wiping out humanity.” “When I entered tech, many of my clients were adherents to the design consultancy IDEO’s ‘design thinking’: a repeatable series of steps for solving problems through design.” “Her sentiments are common in the carnivore diet community, where many adherents have previously struggled with moderation around food.” “No life worth living should meet the standard set by Epicurean or utilitarian views of happiness, and so its modern adherents are destined to be disillusioned by the blemishes of human life.” Etymology
From Middle English adherent, from Old French adherent, from Latin adhaerēns, present participle of adhaereō (“to stick to, cling”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Related words
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/adherent
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0