noun

adherence

ad-HEER-unss

Adherence (noun) means sticking closely to a rule, agreement, treatment or set of standards. Example: “Strict adherence to the safety procedure is required.”

noun

Sticking closely to a rule, agreement, treatment or set of standards.

"Strict adherence to the safety procedure is required."

"Adherence to the medication was measured over six months."

How to Use Adherence

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSticking to a rule, plan or treatment.

Easily confused with

compliance → adhesion

Common pairings

strict adherence adherence to medication adherence

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “adherence” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

Strict _____ to the safety procedure is required.

Etymology

From Latin "adhaerere," to stick to, from "ad-" (to) plus "haerere" (to cling).

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

View more →

compliance observance conformity

Related Words

attention mark watching agreement keeping holiday ceremony celebration

Rhymes for adherence

hence fence whence thence Spence valence absence science silence defence essence ambience

See all rhymes for adherence →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does adherence mean?

Sticking to something as required — a rule, a plan, a course of treatment or a standard.

What is the difference between adherence and compliance?

They overlap, but in healthcare the distinction matters: compliance suggests following instructions given to you, while adherence implies the patient agreed the plan and is following it as an active participant. Adherence is now generally preferred.

People Also Searched

attention mark watching agreement keeping holiday ceremony celebration