cohesiveness: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal to neutral; common in academic, business, and technical writing.
Quick answer
What does “cohesiveness” mean?
The quality of forming a united, logical, and integrated whole.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The quality of forming a united, logical, and integrated whole; the state of sticking or holding together firmly.
The property of a group, system, or material where its parts are strongly connected, leading to a sense of unity, solidarity, or effective functioning. In social contexts, it refers to strong interpersonal bonds that create a stable, supportive environment.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or meaning differences. Both varieties use the word identically.
Connotations
Neutral in both; implies a positive quality in groups and systems. In British academic writing, it may be slightly more frequent in discussions of social theory.
Frequency
Slightly more common in American corporate and management discourse, but the difference is minimal.
Grammar
How to Use “cohesiveness” in a Sentence
The cohesiveness of [NOUN PHRASE][ADJECTIVE] cohesivenessto enhance/improve/build/develop cohesivenessVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cohesiveness” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The mixture is designed to cohere into a solid mass.
American English
- The team needs to cohere better before the playoffs.
adverb
British English
- The different elements of the plan fitted together cohesively.
American English
- The group worked cohesively to meet the deadline.
adjective
British English
- It was a cohesive unit that worked very well together.
American English
- We need a more cohesive strategy moving forward.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to the strength of teamwork and collaboration within a department or company, seen as crucial for productivity. 'The project failed due to a lack of team cohesiveness.'
Academic
Used in sociology, psychology, and materials science to describe bonds within social groups or the physical properties of substances. 'The study measured the social cohesiveness of the community.'
Everyday
Used to describe how well a family, sports team, or group of friends sticks together. 'What I love about our book club is its cohesiveness.'
Technical
In physics and engineering, refers to the intermolecular attraction causing a substance to resist separation. 'The cohesiveness of the clay determines its plasticity.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cohesiveness”
Strong
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cohesiveness”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cohesiveness”
- Misspelling as 'cohesivness' (missing 'e').
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'a cohesiveness'). It is uncountable.
- Confusing with 'coherence' (e.g., 'The speech had good cohesiveness' is less idiomatic than '...good coherence').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are related but not identical. 'Team spirit' is about morale and enthusiasm. 'Cohesiveness' is the structural quality of the team being unified and working as one entity. A team can have high spirit but poor cohesiveness if coordination is bad.
Yes. It is a standard term in materials science and engineering to describe how firmly the particles of a substance hold together, like the cohesiveness of clay, soil, or a chemical compound.
'Coherence' primarily refers to logical consistency and clarity, especially in speech, writing, or thought. 'Cohesiveness' refers to the practical or physical state of sticking together, whether in a social group, a system, or a material. An argument has coherence; a team has cohesiveness.
Almost always. It describes a desirable quality in groups, systems, and materials. However, in very rare critical contexts, excessive cohesiveness within a group might be criticised for leading to 'groupthink' or a lack of external perspective.
The quality of forming a united, logical, and integrated whole.
Cohesiveness is usually formal to neutral; common in academic, business, and technical writing. in register.
Cohesiveness: in British English it is pronounced /kəʊˈhiːsɪvnəs/, and in American English it is pronounced /koʊˈhiːsɪvnəs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms specific to 'cohesiveness'. The concept is expressed literally.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a COHESIVE bandage – it sticks to itself and holds together. COHESIVENESS is the 'stick-together-ness' quality of anything.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL GROUPS ARE PHYSICAL STRUCTURES ('The team's cohesiveness is the glue that holds the project together.'), ARGUMENTS ARE FABRICS ('The essay lacked cohesiveness; its threads of thought were loose.')
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the use of 'cohesiveness' LEAST appropriate?