Cohesion is the qualityan important characteristic or feature of something or state of things holding together. It can describe physicalrelating to material things rather than ideas or feelings sticking, a group staying united, or a scientific force that keeps particlesvery small pieces of matter or tiny bits of substance together.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-12. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /koʊˈhiːʒən/
Easy pronunciation: koh-HEE-zhun (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the second syllable: HEE.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-12. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Cohesion Meaning
the quality of being joined tightly or working as one
Part of speech: noun
Definition: The state of sticking or holding together as one.
Example: The team’s cohesion helped it stay calm under pressure.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- coherence — Works in the sense of unity or connectedness, especially for ideas, writing, or groups.
- coherency — A less common form; can work for logical or connected unity.
- cohesiveness — A close synonym in the sense of holding together or staying unified.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-12. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Cohesion
Meaning 2
when plant parts grow together
Part of speech: noun
Definition: In botany, the process by which plant parts that are usually separate grow together.
Example: The flower showed cohesion of its petals.
Meaning 3
the force that keeps molecules together
Part of speech: noun
Definition: In physics, the force that holds molecules together in a solid or liquid.
Example: Water has strong cohesion between its molecules.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-12. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Cohesion Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- coherence
- cohesiveness
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-12. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Using cohesion to mean simple agreement or friendliness. It usually means unity, connectedness, or physical sticking together.
- Confusing cohesion with coherence. Coherence is mainly about clear, logical, or well-organized connection, while cohesion is broader and often about things holding together.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-12. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does cohesion mean in simple English?
Cohesion means things sticking together or staying united as one.
What is a good synonym for cohesion?
Good synonyms include cohesiveness, coherence, and coherency, depending on the context.
Is cohesion the same as coherence?
Not exactly. Cohesion is about things holding together, while coherence is about being clear, logical, or well connected.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-12. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.