following

[fol-oh-ing]

noun

1. a body of followers, attendants, adherents, etc.

2. the body of admirers, attendants, patrons, etc., of someone or something.

   That television show has a large following.

3. the following, that which comes immediately after, as pages, lines, etc..

   See the following for a list of exceptions.

adjective

1. that follows or moves in the same direction.

   a following wind.

2. that comes after or next in order or time; ensuing.

   the following day.

3. that is now to follow; now to be mentioned, described, related, or the like.

   Check the following report for details.

following

/ ˈfɒləʊɪŋ /

adjective

1. 1. (prenominal) about to be mentioned, specified, etc

      the following items

   2. ( as noun )

      will the following please raise their hands?

2. (of winds, currents, etc) moving in the same direction as the course of a vessel

noun

1. a group of supporters or enthusiasts

   he attracted a large following wherever he played

preposition

1. as a result of

   he was arrested following a tip-off

Usage

The use of following to mean as a result of is very common in journalism, but should be avoided in other kinds of writing

Other Word Forms

• nonfollowing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of following¹

First recorded in 1250–1300, following is from the Middle English word folwing. See follow, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

The school scrapped certificates for 100% attendance following feedback from parents, though overall data for every class is put on the school's website weekly.

Read more on BBC

If they do deliver a big performance, say, at Murrayfield, then the challenge is backing it up the following week.

Read more on BBC

Dozens of high-engagement accounts on X have been accused of misleading users following the roll-out of a new transparency feature that shows user locations.

Read more on BBC

Soon after the launch, some apparent imposter accounts with vast followings were suddenly taken down without any explanation.

Read more on Barron's

Overseas, European defense stocks fell after the White House hailed progress following peace talks with Ukraine on Sunday.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• coming 
• consecutive 
• ensuing 
• subsequent 
• succeeding 
• successive