follow
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to come after in sequence, order of time, etc..
The speech follows the dinner.
- Antonyms:
- precede
-
to go or come after; move behind in the same direction.
Drive ahead, and I'll follow you.
- Antonyms:
- lead
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to accept as a guide or leader; accept the authority of or give allegiance to.
Many Germans followed Hitler.
- Synonyms:
- obey
- Antonyms:
- lead
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to conform to, comply with, or act in accordance with; obey.
to follow orders; to follow advice.
- Antonyms:
- disregard
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to imitate or copy; use as an exemplar.
They follow the latest fads.
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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.
- Antonyms:
- flee
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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.
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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.
adjective
verb phrase
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follow through
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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.
-
-
follow out to carry to a conclusion; execute.
They followed out their orders to the letter.
idioms
verb
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to go or come after in the same direction
he followed his friend home
-
(tr) to accompany; attend
she followed her sister everywhere
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to come after as a logical or natural consequence
-
(tr) to keep to the course or track of
she followed the towpath
-
(tr) to act in accordance with; obey
to follow instructions
-
(tr) to accept the ideas or beliefs of (a previous authority, etc)
he followed Donne in most of his teachings
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to understand (an explanation, argument, etc)
the lesson was difficult to follow
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to watch closely or continuously
she followed his progress carefully
-
(tr) to have a keen interest in
to follow athletics
-
(tr) to help in the cause of or accept the leadership of
the men who followed Napoleon
-
(tr) to choose to receive messages posted by (a blogger or microblogger)
I've been following her online
-
rare (tr) to earn a living at or in
to follow the Navy
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cards
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to play a card of the same suit as the card played immediately before it
-
to do the same as someone else
-
noun
Related Words
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 Word Forms
- followable adjective
- unfollowable adjective
- unfollowed adjective
- well-followed adjective
Etymology
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 )
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.
Brent and WTI crude futuers were lower, and prices were likely to follow a short-lived but sharp spike pattern rather than a sustained breakout, according to Julius Baer.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
"I would appeal to anyone who believes there's going to be a return to the past to think again and to follow the course that has been set out by the people."
From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026
Banks, which typically follow the federal calendar, will generally be open as well.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026
As Linda Loman, Deborah Strang, normally so reliable, tries to follow the lead of husband Willy, but that turns out to be a dead end.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
I had no choice but to follow Alyx and Oliver back into the living room.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
