cohere Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
    cleave; stick; cling; adhere.
    • The dress clings to her body
    • The label stuck to the box
    • The sushi rice grains cohere
  2. verb cause to form a united, orderly, and aesthetically consistent whole
    • Religion can cohere social groups
  3. verb have internal elements or parts logically connected so that aesthetic consistency results
    • the principles by which societies cohere

WordNet

Co*here" intransitive verb
Etymology
L. cohaerere, cohaesum; co- + haerere to stick, adhere. See Aghast, a.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Cohered ; present participle & verbal noun Cohering
Definitions
  1. To stick together; to cleave; to be united; to hold fast, as parts of the same mass.
    Neither knows he . . . how the solid parts of the body are united or cohere together. Locke.
  2. To be united or connected together in subordination to one purpose; to follow naturally and logically, as the parts of a discourse, or as arguments in a train of reasoning; to be logically consistent.
    They have been inserted where they best seemed to cohere. Burke.
  3. To suit; to agree; to fit. Obs.
    Had time cohered with place, or place with wishing. Shak.
    Syn. -- To cleave; unite; adhere; stick; suit; agree; fit; be consistent.

Webster 1913