coherence

noun

co·​her·​ence kō-ˈhir-ən(t)s  -ˈher- 

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

Synonyms

• balance
• concinnity
• consonance
• consonancy
• harmony
• orchestration
• proportion
• symmetry
• symphony
• unity

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

Policymakers should be wary of assuming flawless internal policy logic or coherence when analyzing China’s nuclear strategy. —Ashley J. Tellis, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2024

So to make quantum computers with the maximum coherence times—and therefore computers that can sustain the longest and most complex computations—as much 29Si as possible should be removed or extracted somehow from a silicon qubit substrate. —IEEE Spectrum, 15 June 2024

The discipline was developing a sense of intellectual coherence, as well as a modicum of influence. —Discover Magazine, 14 June 2024

Breathing Life Into Eastern Ukraine Ukraine’s coherence as a country and its capacity to one day reincorporate the occupied regions under Russian control depend on the ability of its eastern regions to… Will a Comic Actor Become Ukraine’s Next President? —Melinda Haring, Foreign Affairs, 10 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

coher(ent) + -ence, after Latin cohaerentia

First Known Use

circa 1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1