1 coherence | Definition of coherence

coherence

noun
co·​her·​ence | \ kƍ-ˈhir-ən(t)s How to pronounce coherence (audio) , -ˈher- How to pronounce coherence (audio) \

Definition of coherence

1 : the quality or state of cohering: such as
a : systematic or logical connection or consistency The essay as a whole lacks coherence.
b : integration of diverse elements, relationships, or values "The various parts of this house—discrete in color, in shape, in placement—join together with remarkable coherence."— Paul Goldberger
2 : the property of being coherent a plan that lacks coherence

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Examples of coherence in a Sentence

the house has been expanded and remodeled so many times that now it's a jumbled mess that lacks coherence

Recent Examples on the Web

Its narrative construction depicts extraordinary tensions and conflicts with a clarity and coherence that a screenwriter might dream of. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, "“Honeyland,” Reviewed: A Gripping, Frustrating Documentary About a Beekeeper’s Fragile Isolation," 1 Aug. 2019 The short was crassly played vengeance, and regrettably the feature — though boasting a stellar cast — similarly stumbles in its favoring of shallow intensity over psychological depth or coherence. Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, "Review: ‘Skin’ never gets deeper than its white supremacist protagonists’ tattoos," 25 July 2019 Among other things, this reflex of self-insulation comes at the considerable cost of message coherence. Elizabeth Spiers, The New Republic, "Beyond Pelosi," 24 July 2019 Marinetti rejected all the obvious sources of comfort that people might normally crave in a disrupted environment: coherence, harmony, freedom, received morals, and conventional language. K.n.c., The Economist, "The radical politics of futurists and fascists—and us, here, today," 19 July 2019 The patterns were supposed to allow everyone to discuss, then build, while maintaining some level of coherence. Alexandra Lange, Curbed, "Let Christopher Alexander design your life," 11 July 2019 The failure of Southern Accents is more than a lack of coherence and a crippling reliance on 1980s’ production gimmicks. Michael Washburn, Longreads, "Tom Petty’s Problematic Album Southern Accents," 9 July 2019 Hence, in turn, the coherence and practicality of these experiences became a master of indifference. Sarah Vitali, Harper's magazine, "Kill Your Darlings," 10 May 2019 Polyglot India is the nearest international comparator to the EU, but there too debates rage over whether to adopt a sole official language to add coherence. The Economist, "Brexit is the ideal moment to make English the EU’s common language," 15 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'coherence.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of coherence

circa 1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for coherence

coher(ent) + -ence, after Latin cohaerentia

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