Adheres means to sticks to or follows closely; it describes clinging to a rule, plan, or surface. In grammar, it often appears as falls in line with a principle or adheres to a standard. The term conveys steady attachment or commitment over time, implying ongoing fidelity rather than occasional compatibility.
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"The paint adheres well to glossy surfaces after priming."
"She adheres to a strict budget and reviews her expenses weekly."
"The team adheres to the league’s rules, ensuring fair play."
"The study adheres to rigorous methodology, yielding reliable results."
Adheres comes from the verb adhere, which traces to the Latin adhaerēre, meaning to cling to or stick to. Adhaerēre is formed from ad- (toward) + haerēre (to cling, stick). The English adoption appeared in the 15th century as adhere, with related forms like adheres, adhering, adhered. Over time, the core sense narrowed from literal sticking to also mean clinging to rules, beliefs, or loyalties. The word has cognates in many Romance languages (e.g., French adhérer, Italian aderire), all preserving the core idea of attachment or attachment by force of cohesion. In modern usage, adhere regularly collocates with objects (surfaces) and abstract frameworks (principles, standards, schedules), producing a durable sense of fidelity and compliance. First known use in English appears in Middle English texts, gradually expanding by the 16th–17th centuries to include metaphorical clinging beyond physical adhesion, solidifying into contemporary usage where one “adheres to” guidelines or commitments rather than merely sticking to a surface.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "adheres" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "adheres" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "adheres"
-ars sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /əˈdɪərz/ (US) or /əˈdɪəz/ (UK/AU). Start with a reduced vowel 'uh' (schwa), then a stressed 'DHEER' or 'DYE-ers' sound, ending with a voiced z. The stress is on the second syllable. Keep the bite on the /d/ and ensure the /ɪə/ or /ɪə/ sequence glides into a final /z/. You’ll find this aligns with common speech patterns in careful, semi-formal contexts. Audio examples: [audio].
Common errors include: (1) Dropping the final /z/ and saying /əˈdɪər/ or /əˈdɪəz/ without voicing; (2) Misplacing stress on the first syllable as /ˈæd-/?; and (3) Slurring the /ɪə/ into a plain /ɪ/ or /i:/ sequence. The correction is to produce a clear /ə/ followed by a distinct /ˈdɪə/ or /ˈdɪə/, then voiced /z/. Practice with minimal pairs like adhere vs adhere? and emphasize the final z sound.
In US English, you’ll hear /əˈdɪərz/ with rhotic r and a slightly longer /ɪə/ diphthong. UK English often uses /əˈdɪəz/ with a breathy, shorter vowel and non-rhotic tendency in some speakers; though many UK speakers still voice the final /z/. Australian English tends to be closer to UK in vowel quality but can have a flatter /ɜː/ or /ɪə/ depending on region, with the final /z/ clearly voiced. Overall, the main differences are subtle vowel length and rhotacism presence.
The difficulty lies in the two adjacent vowel sounds in the middle (/ɪə/ or /ɪəz/), which require precise diphthong timing, plus the final voiced fricative /z/ after a stressed syllable—especially in rapid speech where assimilation can blur /əˈ/ and the onset of /ˈd/ into a smoother sequence. Also, many speakers carry a tendency to reduce unstressed vowels, making the middle vowels unclear. Focus on distinct middle vowel and final voiced consonant to sharpen delivery.
Phonetically, the word begins with a reduced first syllable /ə/ followed by /ˈdɪərz/ in US or /ˈdɪəz/ in UK/AU; the /d/ is not separated into a standalone syllable. The common pronunciation blends the /ə/ with the /d/ into a single onset before the stressed /ɪə/ or /ɪə/ and final /z/. So you won’t hear a pronounced 'ad' as a separate syllable; instead, think /ə-ˈdɪərz/ or /ə-ˈdɪəz/.
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