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coherence

n. uncountable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //koʊˈhɪɹəns// UK //kəʊhˈiəɹəns// co·her·ence

n. the way parts of something fit together in a clear and logical way. When a story or an argument has this, it is easy to follow and understand.

n. the quality of being logical, consistent, and forming a unified whole. In linguistics, it refers to the underlying semantic connections that make a text meaningful to a reader.


SIMPLE

The essay lacks coherence and is hard to follow.

CONTEXTUAL

The lawyer's argument had such strong coherence that the jury understood the complex timeline of events immediately.

COMPLEX

While the individual scenes were visually stunning, the film lacked narrative coherence, leaving the audience confused about the protagonist's ultimate motivations and the plot's resolution.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle French coherence, from Latin cohaerentia. By surface analysis, cohere + -ence.

Usage

Uncountable in its abstract sense; often paired with the preposition 'of' or 'between'.

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