adhere
To stick firmly to a rule, standard, or decision
Examples
In a meeting
“All team members must adhere to the confidentiality agreement.”
Over coffee
“I'm trying to adhere to my budget this month.”
Why this word
follow
adhere emphasizes faithful, strict compliance or attachment, while follow is casual about conforming
stick to
adhere is formal language for maintaining commitment to rules or beliefs, while stick to is informal
obey
adhere suggests committed compliance with principles or standards, while obey implies following commands or orders
Usage tip
Use for following rules or commitments—implies dedication and consistency
Etymology
Latin: adhaerere (ad- 'to' + haerere 'stick')
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Related words
enforce
To make sure a rule or law is obeyed
regulatory
Relating to rules or directives issued by an authority
contravene
To violate or go against a rule, law, or agreement
broach
To bring up or introduce a topic for discussion
streamline
To make a process or system more efficient by simplifying or eliminating unnecessary steps.
delegate
To assign a task or responsibility to someone else.