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.

If Nvidia’s PC processor turns out to be superior to rivals for artificial-intelligence workloads carried out on a device, it could force rivals to follow suit and use Arm’s designs.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

If other companies follow suit, it could revitalize U.S. capital markets.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

Since every major party presidential candidate had voluntarily released their tax returns over the past four decades, it was assumed he would follow suit.

From Salon • May 25, 2026

If interest rates continue to rise, expect sales to follow suit.

From MarketWatch • May 21, 2026

He waited, canny enough not to commit himself until his wife had agreed to follow suit.

From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick

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