follow

[ fol-oh ]

/ ˈfɒl oʊ /

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See synonyms for: follow / followed / following / follows on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to come after in sequence, order of time, etc.: The speech follows the dinner.

to go or come after; move behind in the same direction: Drive ahead, and I'll follow you.

to accept as a guide or leader; accept the authority of or give allegiance to: Many Germans followed Hitler.

to conform to, comply with, or act in accordance with; obey: to follow orders; to follow advice.

to imitate or copy; use as an exemplar: They follow the latest fads.

to move forward along (a road, path, etc.): Follow this road for a mile.

to come after as a result or consequence; result from: Reprisals often follow victory.

to go after or along with (a person) as companion.

to go in pursuit of: to follow an enemy.

to try for or attain to: to follow an ideal.

to engage in or be concerned with as a pursuit: He followed the sea as his true calling.

to watch the movements, progress, or course of: to follow a bird in flight.

to watch the development of or keep up with: to follow the news.

Digital Technology. to indicate interest in and establish a connection with (a social media account) so as to keep up with the online content it publishes, as posts, images, or videos: I follow my friends and some celebrities on Twitter, but nobody who tweets political stuff.

to keep up with and understand (an argument, story, etc.): Do you follow me?

verb (used without object)

to come next after something else in sequence, order of time, etc.

to happen or occur after something else; come next as an event: After the defeat great disorder followed.

to attend or serve.

to go or come after a person or thing in motion.

to result as an effect; occur as a consequence: It follows then that he must be innocent.

noun

the act of following.

Digital Technology. an instance of following or subscribing to online content published by a social media account: Using hashtags is one way to get more follows on Instagram.

Billiards, Pool. follow shot (def. 2).

follow-up (def. 3).

adjective

Digital Technology. noting or relating to a feature used to follow or subscribe to specific website content: a follow link;follow numbers and other digital marketing statistics.

Verb Phrases

follow out, to carry to a conclusion; execute: They followed out their orders to the letter.

follow through,

to carry out fully, as a stroke of a club in golf, a racket in tennis, etc.
to continue an effort, plan, proposal, policy, etc., to its completion.

follow up,

to pursue closely and tenaciously.
to increase the effectiveness of by further action or repetition.
to pursue to a solution or conclusion.

OTHER WORDS FOR follow

3 obey.

4 heed, observe.

8 accompany, attend.

9 pursue, chase; trail, track, trace.

20 arise, proceed.

See synonyms for follow on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR follow

1 precede.

2, 3 lead.

4 disregard.

9 flee.

See antonyms for follow on Thesaurus.com

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Idioms about follow

follow suit. suit (def. 21).

Origin of follow

First recorded before 900; Middle English fol(o)wen, Old English folgian; cognate with Old Saxon folgōn, Old High German folgēn, folgōn (German folgen )

synonym study for follow

20. Follow, ensue, result, succeed imply coming after something else, in a natural sequence. Follow is the general word: We must wait to see what follows. A detailed account follows. Ensue implies a logical sequence, what might be expected normally to come after a given act, cause, etc.: When the power lines were cut, a paralysis of transportation ensued. Result emphasizes the connection between a cause or event and its effect, consequence, or outcome: The accident resulted in injuries to those involved. Succeed implies coming after in time, particularly coming into a title, office, etc.: Formerly the oldest son succeeded to his father's title.

OTHER WORDS FROM follow

fol·low·a·ble, adjectiveun·fol·low·a·ble, adjectiveun·fol·lowed, adjectivewell-followed, adjective

Words nearby follow

folliculoma, folliculosis, folliculus, follis, follitropin, follow, follow along, follower, followership, following, following bougie

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use follow in a sentence

That followed November’s elections when four new states legalized recreational marijuana, and two legalized medicinal use.
Canada’s largest cannabis company is turning its attention to the US|Karen Ho|February 11, 2021|Quartz
Isaiah Todd soon followed, shunning a scholarship offer from Michigan.
An NBA experiment lets draft prospects skip college, stay home and get paid to play|Michael Lee|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
“It’s really — it’s crazy times, and I’m not too scared of getting it personally, but I’m following all the rules that I’ve been told to follow,” Oshie said.
The Caps are dealing with an unexpected break. They hope to use it to recover and reset.|Samantha Pell|February 10, 2021|Washington Post
A witness told investigators that the Sikorsky S-76B disappeared into clouds as it followed the route of Highway 101 through a pass in the hills, a moment that also was recorded on video.
Helicopter pilot flying Kobe Bryant didn’t follow his training when flying into disorienting clouds, federal investigators say|Ian Duncan|February 9, 2021|Washington Post

Then came the last president’s attempts to overturn the election results, followed by a violent insurrection at the Capitol and an inauguration held under tight covid restrictions and an ominous military presence.
‘Oh, we’re still in this.’ The pandemic wall is here.|Maura Judkis|February 9, 2021|Washington Post
Tend to your own garden, to quote the great sage of free speech, Voltaire, and invite people to follow your example.
How the PC Police Threaten Free Speech|Nick Gillespie|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
They prevailed last August, obtaining—follow me here—an injunction prohibiting the enforcement of those provisions.
The Back Alley, Low Blow-Ridden Fight to Stop Gay Marriage in Florida Is Finally Over|Jay Michaelson|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The follow-up story is how those who survived both the competitive onslaught, as well as the recession, have adapted.
Best Buy Punches Back at Amazon|William O’Connor|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
JetBlue has been flying charter jets to Cuba for three years, and others are sure to follow.
Up To Speed: The Cuba Embargo|Nina Strochlic|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
An attorney was asked to follow up, but no records indicate what happened next.
Inside the CIA’s Sadistic Dungeon|Tim Mak|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In 1856 she married Mesdag, who, rather late in life decided to follow the career of a painter.
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.|Clara Erskine Clement
You will follow the suite of my daughter to Spain, and you will become the bosom Counsellor of the wife of your Prince?
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
She now understood nearly all that was said directly to her, though she could not follow general and confused conversation.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
A test examination would follow of a perfunctory character, and an intimation of your appointment would be the sequel.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 107, November 3, 1894|Various
These are obtained easily, whence follow the sinister reports that they give your Majesty, to the harm of the public welfare.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various

British Dictionary definitions for follow

/ (ˈfɒləʊ) /

verb

to go or come after in the same directionhe followed his friend home

(tr) to accompany; attendshe followed her sister everywhere

to come after as a logical or natural consequence

(tr) to keep to the course or track ofshe followed the towpath

(tr) to act in accordance with; obeyto follow instructions

(tr) to accept the ideas or beliefs of (a previous authority, etc)he followed Donne in most of his teachings

to understand (an explanation, argument, etc)the lesson was difficult to follow

to watch closely or continuouslyshe followed his progress carefully

(tr) to have a keen interest into follow athletics

(tr) to help in the cause of or accept the leadership ofthe men who followed Napoleon

(tr) to choose to receive messages posted by (a blogger or microblogger)I've been following her online

(tr) rare to earn a living at or into follow the Navy

follow suit cards

to play a card of the same suit as the card played immediately before it
to do the same as someone else

noun

billiards snooker

a forward spin imparted to a cue ball causing it to roll after the object ball
a shot made in this way

Derived forms of follow

followable, adjective

Word Origin for follow

Old English folgian; related to Old Frisian folgia, Old Saxon folgōn, Old High German folgēn

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with follow

In addition to the idioms beginning with follow

follow along
follow in someone's footsteps
follow one's nose
follow out
follow suit
follow the crowd
follow through
follow up

also see:

as follows
camp follower
hard act to follow