Words / C1

koh-HEES-iv/kəʊˈhiːsɪv/

Cohesive means united and working well as a whole: a cohesive team, cohesive writing (the sentences hold together). United is everyday; coherent is a close cousin for argument (clear logic) — cohesive is more about sticking together as a group or text. Cohesion is the noun (team cohesion; lexical cohesion in writing). In speech, they pull together or it hangs together is enough. A cohesive group can still be wrong.

Meaning

United and working well as a whole.

Examples

• “The team became more cohesive after the project.”
• “The team became more cohesive after they shared the same brief.”
• “Cohesive paragraphs use reference and linking, not only a list of facts.”

Good to know

Sticking together as one. Noun: cohesion. Everyday: united / hangs together. Contrast: coherent = logically clear. Writing and groups.

Near in meaning

united

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