follow suit

Idioms

Imitate or do as someone else has done, as in Bill decided to leave for the rest of the day, and Mary followed suit. This term comes from card games in which one must play a card from the same suit as the one led. [Mid-1800s]

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.

The United States has lifted a similar exemption and Britain will follow suit.

From Barron's • Jun. 30, 2026

Once private-equity owners get the AP1000 ball rolling and show proof of concept, the rest of the utility industry should eventually follow suit.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 29, 2026

But if the makers of one of the biggest franchises in entertainment history has decided to follow suit, does that mean the disc is dead?

From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026

The Senate is expected to give its final OK to the housing package on Monday evening, and the House looks set to follow suit on Wednesday or Thursday.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 22, 2026

The others follow suit slowly, with Christina putting hers down last.

From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023