adherent

[ ad-heer-uhnt, -her- ]

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

/ ədˈhɪərənt /

noun

1. usually foll by of a supporter or follower

adjective

1. sticking, holding fast, or attached

Other Words From

• ad·herent·ly adverb
• nonad·herent adjective noun
• pread·herent adjective
• pread·herent·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of adherent¹

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

Synonym Study

See follower.

Example Sentences

Rather than pick a moderate to ideologically balance the ticket, Trump opted for a running mate who presented himself as a faithful adherent of the former president’s “America first” ideology.

From Los Angeles Times

An avowed adherent of the QAnon conspiracy theory at the time of her House campaign, Ms. Stanton King later supported Mr. Trump’s claims of a rigged election after she lost her race in a landslide, eventually calling for a military coup to oust President Biden in early 2021.

From New York Times

Starting last December, Trump began employing a phrase used by his disgraced former National Security Adviser and QAnon adherent Michael Flynn: "Guard the vote."

From Salon

By the end of the trial, 14 patients had been fully adherent, six were semi-adherent and only one was non-adherent.

From Science Daily

"We saw more benefit with the adherent group compared with the semi-adherent group, indicating a potential dose-response relationship," Sethi said.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• backer
• believer
• devotee
• disciple
• enthusiast