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Synonyms

adherent

American  
[ad-heer-uhnt, -her-] / ædˈhɪər ənt, -ˈhɛr- /

noun

  1. a person who follows or upholds a leader, cause, etc.; supporter; follower.

    Synonyms:
    fan, devotee, disciple

adjective

  1. sticking; clinging; adhering.

    an adherent substance.

  2. bound by contract or other formal agreement.

    the nations adherent to the Geneva Convention.

  3. Biology. adnate.

  4. Grammar. standing before and modifying a noun; attributive.

adherent British  
/ ədˈhɪərənt /

noun

  1. (usually foll by of) a supporter or follower

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. sticking, holding fast, or attached

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See follower.

Other Word Forms

  • adherently adverb
  • nonadherent adjective
  • preadherent adjective
  • preadherently adverb

Etymology

Origin of adherent

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin adhērent-, from Latin adhaerent-, stem of adhaerēns “sticking to,” present participle of adhaerēre “to stick to”; equivalent to adhere + -ent

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

An adherent of Wahhabism, a conservative and fundamentalist interpretation of Sunni Islam, he hopes to rally a population exhausted by over a decade of conflict.

From Barron's

The concept of saving to retire early, or FIRE, an acronym for “Financially Independent, Retire Early,” has evolved as a result, as adherents salt away more money and prepare for volatility in future markets.

From Barron's

"Concerned governments and religious leaders around the world should press the Chinese government to free detained religious adherents and respect religious freedom in China," Uluyol added.

From BBC

The Buddha -- who renounced material wealth to embrace and preach a life of non-attachment -- founded a religion that now has more than 500 million adherents.

From Barron's

About 30% of Americans consider themselves adherents to its ideas, or are sympathetic to them, according to a different survey by PRRI.

From Los Angeles Times