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Showing results for following. Search instead for follying.
Synonyms

following

American  
[fol-oh-ing] / ˈfɒl oʊ ɪŋ /

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 British  
/ ˈfɒləʊɪŋ /

adjective

    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

"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

noun

  1. a group of supporters or enthusiasts

    he attracted a large following wherever he played
"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

preposition

  1. as a result of

    he was arrested following a tip-off
"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

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

Etymology

Origin of following

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

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.

Undeterred, he reissued it on vinyl the following year.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

The U.S. dollar rose following robust March hiring data.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

He also argued that markets tend to outperform following a pullback, with the S&P 500 higher over the 12 months following a 10% correction around 88% of the time.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

Its situation was "nothing like the Louvre", it stressed, with analogue cameras replaced with digital ones, following recommendations made by the police in 2024.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

We stepped through an opening in the bush line and entered the back paths, following the bare earth created by generations of rez feet, doing the cross-lots drift.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

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.