adhering

American  

[ad-heer-ing] / ædˈhɪər ɪŋ /

adjective

1. attaching or staying attached; sticking, or causing something to stick, to something else.

   She worked away with a steel scraper to loosen the adhering carpet where it had been glued to the floor.

2. devoted in allegiance; attached as a follower, supporter, or member.

   Under the OECD Council decision on multinational enterprises, each adhering country must set up a National Contact Point for dispute resolution.

3. holding firmly or closely to something (often used in combination).

   Respond to all employee complaints promptly and in a professional, confidential, policy-adhering manner.

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noun

1. the act or fact of sticking, clinging, or holding closely or firmly to something.

   We can't just call for an adhering to due process—we need to actually ensure that due process happens.

2. Chemistry, Physics. (of two or more dissimilar substances) the fact of being united by a molecular force acting in the area of contact.

   The adhering of the molecules of a gas on the surface of a solid is called adsorption.

3. the fact of being devoted or attached to a person or thing as a follower, member, or supporter.

   Under the law, cruising in an enemy ship intending to capture or destroy American ships is an adhering to the enemies of the United States.

Other Word Forms

• nonadhering adjective
• unadhering adjective

Etymology

Origin of adhering

First recorded in 1545–55; adher(e) ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; adher(e) ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun senses

Example Sentences

Their music suggests styles—free jazz, funk, Jamaican dub, rock, and more—while adhering to the conventions of none.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

Under the arrangement, US user data will be stored in Oracle's secure cloud environment, with cybersecurity audited by third-party experts and adhering to federal standards, TikTok said.

From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026

By adding in new characters while adhering to the original story, the author creates something new, strange and thrilling.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 31, 2025

It requires setting up a plan document, just the way a company does, and adhering to the rules of that plan.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 23, 2025

Havermeyer had tiny bits of peanut brittle adhering to his lips, chin and cheeks.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

Related Words

• biased
• one-sided
• sectarian
• sympathetic
• unjust