An adherent is one who is devoted or attached to a person, party, principle, cause, creed, or the like. One may be an aider and supporter of a party or church, while not an adherent to all its doctrines or claims.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

supporter The communist got his dependable supporter at last.
follower Layla was a rule-follower and a good student.
disciple You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
adherent		falling
supporter		rising
follower		steady
disciple		rising
upholder		falling
votary		steady

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

6 letters: friend¹, addict², backer², votary
7 letters: sectary
8 letters: partisan³, follower³, disciple³, adhesive³, clinging², retainer³, upholder
9 letters: dependent³, supporter³, dependant

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (addict² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: adhérent