cohesion

cohesion — noun

1. the quality of being united and working well together as a group, so that member

1.nounB2
Definition

the quality of being united and working well together as a group, so that members feel a shared sense of belonging and commitment to one another

Example

The cohesion of the mountain rescue team helped them save the hikers despite the storm.

collocation: cohesion of [group]

When a company hires people from very different backgrounds, building cohesion takes extra effort.

collocation: building cohesion

Common collocations
  • social cohesion
  • national cohesion
  • group cohesion
  • team cohesion
  • family cohesion
  • community cohesion
  • strong cohesion
  • weak cohesion
  • lack of cohesion
  • sense of cohesion
  • build cohesion
  • strengthen cohesion
  • promote cohesion
  • maintain cohesion
  • foster cohesion
  • improve cohesion
  • undermine cohesion
  • threaten cohesion
  • destroy cohesion
  • cohesion among members
  • cohesion within a group
Synonyms
  • unity

    the closest synonym; focuses on oneness rather than active cooperation

  • solidarity

    implies mutual support in pursuit of shared interests or goals; more ideological than cohesion

  • togetherness

    more informal and emotional, often used for families or close friends

  • harmony

    emphasises peaceful coexistence and agreement rather than active collaboration

Antonyms
  • division

    the state of being split into opposing groups

  • disunity

    lack of agreement or shared purpose

  • fragmentation

    breaking apart into many disconnected pieces

Grammar Patterns

cohesion of [group]

cohesion among [members]

social/group/national cohesion

Usage Note

Uncountable; do not use with an indefinite article (❌ a strong cohesion). Frequently modified by social, national, group, or team to specify the type of unity. Common verbs that pair with cohesion include strengthen, promote, maintain, build, foster, improve, and undermine.

Common Mistakes

The committee showed a strong cohesion.
The committee showed strong cohesion.
Cohesion is uncountable and does not take a or an.
Cohesion between the departments was high.
Cohesion within the department was high.
Cohesion refers to unity inside a single group, not the relationship between separate groups.

Word family

  • cohere
    verbC1
  • cohesive
    adjectiveB2
  • cohesively
    adverbC1
  • cohesiveness
    nounC1
  • incoherent
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe positive relationships within a group, but they differ in scope and register. Unity is the broadest term, simply meaning oneness or the absence of division — it can apply to a nation, a political party, or a family. Cohesion adds the nuance of active bonding: members are not just united but also work together effectively. Solidarity implies a strong, often ideological commitment to mutual support, common in political or labour movements (e.g. 'workers showed solidarity during the strike'). Togetherness is warmer and more informal, suited to close relationships like family or friendship — it would feel out of place in a business report. Harmony emphasises peaceful coexistence and agreement, which can occur even without deep collaboration. For a classroom setting: 'The team showed unity after the debate' means they were not divided; 'The team showed cohesion' means they coordinated well; 'The team showed solidarity' means they stood up for each other.

unity ↗solidarity ↗togethernessharmony ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • social cohesion
  • national cohesion
  • group cohesion
  • team cohesion
  • family cohesion
  • community cohesion

Adverbs

  • socially cohesive → social cohesion is the related noun form
  • strongly cohesive → strong cohesion
  • weakly cohesive → weak cohesion

Phrases

  • a sense of cohesion
  • a lack of cohesion
  • build cohesion
  • strengthen cohesion
  • promote cohesion
  • maintain cohesion
  • foster cohesion
  • undermine cohesion
  • threaten cohesion

Prepositions

  • cohesion among
  • cohesion within
  • cohesion of

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Cohesion comes from Latin 'cohaesus', the past participle of 'cohaerēre', which combines 'com-' (together) and 'haerēre' (to stick). The word entered English in the mid-1600s through French 'cohésion'. It was first used for physical sticking (e.g. glue holding two surfaces) and later broadened to describe social bonding — the way members of a group 'stick together' even without physical attachment.