ensue
Americanverb (used without object)
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ensues,
present (3rd person singular)
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ensued,
past participle, past
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ensuing
present participle
verb
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(intr) to follow; come next or afterwards
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(intr) to follow or occur as a consequence; result
-
obsolete (tr) to pursue
Synonym Usage
See follow.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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ensuesimple
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ensuessimple
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have ensuedperfect
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has ensuedperfect
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am ensuingprogressive
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are ensuingprogressive
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is ensuingprogressive
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have been ensuingperfect progressive
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has been ensuingperfect progressive
Past
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ensuedsimple
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had ensuedperfect
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was ensuingprogressive
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were ensuingprogressive
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had been ensuingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of ensue
First recorded in 1450–1500; Middle English ensuen, from Anglo-French ensuer, cognate with Old French ensui(v)re; see en- 1, sue
Explanation
If something happens after something else, it will ensue, meaning it will follow after or be the result. When a sneeze comes out, and he hears the "Achoo!," a "Bless you" or "Gesundheit" soon will ensue. One way to remember the verb ensue is to rhyme it with "due." A happening that is due to happen will ensue, "Throwing a glass of ice water in his face guaranteed that a chase would ensue." Often what follows is a response to words or actions, so what will ensue is what will happen as a consequence. A struggle might ensue if a thief grabs a purse, and a discussion might ensue if two sides disagree.
Vocabulary lists containing ensue
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
If it does make a bomb, a regional arms race could ensue.
From Slate ● Jul. 23, 2026
The virus-carrying mosquitoes and the infections that ensue are “part of our local environment and continue to reappear year after year,” Bates-Grubb said in a statement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
At that size, people in the industry worry about the damage that could ensue if a bipedal robot loses power.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026
It’s particularly useful as a contrarian tool when sharp falls can suggest traders are too cautious, and a rally may ensue.
From MarketWatch ● May 15, 2026
Days of darkness ensue, the switches dead, the grid empty.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
Salterelli has seen cases where competing grandmothers both want to be guardians and a custody battle ensues.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026
A struggle ensues and the man is pulled down, with his trousers appearing to fall down, before he is arrested by officers in the garden of the property.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
A little banter ensues, making way for the real surprise guests: fellow Olympic hockey champions Megan Keller and team captain Hilary Knight.
From Salon ● Mar. 6, 2026
Once the horns state a theme in pungent harmony, a series of solos ensues.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 15, 2025
Push the chair in too quickly or too slowly, or else sit too soon or too heavily, and misadventure ensues, perhaps even an unintended baptism of the hindquarters.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
Overfishing ensued, leading to rapidly depleted supplies and bans on wild-caught sturgeon.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
After the initial dust cloud that followed the collapse of the World Trade Center, months of pollution and lingering dust ensued, causing cancers from which thousands of New Yorkers still suffer today.
From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026
A 60-yard passing touchdown immediately ensued on the next possession.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
The shop sits 25 minutes from the US-Canada border and since the "war" ensued Seevers said her business received emails from Canadian customers saying they could not patronise her business "due to anti-Canadian rhetoric".
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
A vehement argument ensued, and I heard Helen declare she was leaving.
From "The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother" by James McBride
But the ensuing row could make Seoul even more reluctant to do so, Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University, told AFP.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
The ensuing protests were violent and costly and worried many of us, not because we agreed with Mr. Yiannopoulos, but because outrage over ideas had turned students against each another.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
I’m much happier with an occasional Big Seasonal Prep Day — fill the freezer with soups, sauces, breakfast burritos and other useful things — and then let the ensuing weeks fall where they will.
From Salon ● Sep. 22, 2026
A front tyre had blown on the car and Hammond said in his post that he did not scream during the ensuing crash.
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
In London and Paris in the ensuing months, they could keep their eyes open for KGB trails and interview the Russian spy at length.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
