What does "adhesion" mean?
The ability of a substance to stick to an unlike substance.
Adhesion
noun
noun ·3 syllables ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The ability of a substance to stick to an unlike substance.
- Grammar: adhesion is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: adherence, adhesiveness, attachment, adhere to original terms.
- Useful contrasts: mutual repulsion, abscission, air detachment.
- Usage evidence: They theorized that the easily reversible adhesion of the gecko's footpads is not dependent solely on those microscopic hairs, but also on the unique internal anatomy of the lizard's foot.
How to use "adhesion"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "adhesion" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "adhesion" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "adhesion" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "adhesion" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "adhesion" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "adherence" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "adhesion", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The ability of a substance to stick to an unlike substance. uncountable, usually
- 2 faithful support for a cause or political party or religion wordnet
- 3 Persistent attachment or loyalty. uncountable, usually
"[N]o waver in Judgment, have I, though Gods mercy, ever been; but a conſtant aſſertor of, and ſufferer for my ſatisfiedneſs in, and adheſion to, the piety and probity of my breeding and belief, vvhich vvas ever, yet is, and I hope, through Gods grace, to death ſhall be, in point of Religion according to the Doctrine and Diſcipline of the Church of England."
- 4 the property of sticking together (as of glue and wood) or the joining of surfaces of different composition wordnet
- 5 An agreement to adhere. uncountable, usually
"Mistress Affery, heartily glad to effect the proposed compromise, gave in her willing adhesion to it."
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 a fibrous band of scar tissue that binds together normally separate anatomical structures wordnet
- 7 An abnormal union of surface by the formation of new tissue resulting from an inflammatory process. uncountable, usually
- 8 abnormal union of bodily tissues; most common in the abdomen wordnet
- 9 The binding of a cell to a surface or substrate. uncountable, usually
- 10 The frictional grip on a surface, of wheels, shoes etc. uncountable, usually
"Several types of diesel locomotive have been tested on this working and as a result the probable choice will be Type 2 diesels in pairs, without bankers. The crucial factor in the selection of this method is the higher degree of adhesion obtained than with a single Type 4; on trial one of the latter showed that in very adverse conditions it might slip to a standstill at one of the two tricky spots on the steep climb from Tyne Dock to Consett."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"They theorized that the easily reversible adhesion of the gecko's footpads is not dependent solely on those microscopic hairs, but also on the unique internal anatomy of the lizard's foot."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "adhesion"?
Common synonyms include: adherence, adhesiveness, attachment, adhere to original terms, adhesions, affixing.
How do you use "adhesion" in a sentence?
They theorized that the easily reversible adhesion of the gecko's footpads is not dependent solely on those microscopic hairs, but also on the unique internal anatomy of the lizard's foot.
Etymology
From French adhésion, from Latin stem of adhaesio, from past participle of adhaerare.