the completion of a motion, as in the stroke of a tennis racket.
the portion of such a motion after the ball has been hit.
the act of continuing a plan, project, scheme, or the like to its completion.
sport to complete (a stroke or shot) by continuing the movement to the end of its arc
(tr) to pursue (an aim) to a conclusion
sport
the act of following through
the part of the stroke after the ball has been hit
the completion of a procedure, esp after a first action
In sports such as tennis or golf, carry a stroke to completion after striking the ball. For example, You don't follow through on your backhand, so it goes into the net . [Late 1800s]
Carry an object, project, or intention to completion; pursue fully. For example, She followed through on her promise to reorganize the department . Also see follow up , def. 1.
First recorded in 1895–1900; noun use of verb phrase follow through
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The toll of caregiving, however, gets lost on many friends and loved ones, who may have good intentions but limited follow-through, she said.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 16, 2026
Until Nvidia can deliver clear follow-through, the risk remains that this move may have been a false start rather than the beginning of a sustained advance.
From Barron's ● May 4, 2026
Changing an in-bred monoculture built over decades is difficult, and the trustees should play a role by insisting on follow-through.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 19, 2026
We are going to take a new long position if SPX can prove that the big rally on April 8 has follow-through.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 9, 2026
Though on in years, Mr. Keating had a stylish windup and follow-through.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
But equally, a delayed response or a friend failing to follow through on plans can trigger subtle stress responses in the nervous system.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
May we ask: Did anyone really believe he would follow through on this bit of aspirational rhetoric?
From Slate ● Jul. 25, 2026
“It’s several threads we have to follow through extraordinary, labyrinthine networks. So, a victim is interviewed, gives names, and we re-examine those names.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 17, 2026
They have similarly sought assurances that the administration will follow through on a pending U.S. arms sale worth over $10 billion, which received approval from Taiwan’s legislature on Friday.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 10, 2026
The conquistadors did not follow through on their part of the deal.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
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.
