following
Americannoun
-
a body of followers, attendants, adherents, etc.
-
the body of admirers, attendants, patrons, etc., of someone or something.
That television show has a large following.
-
the following, that which comes immediately after, as pages, lines, etc..
See the following for a list of exceptions.
adjective
-
-
(prenominal) about to be mentioned, specified, etc
the following items
-
( as noun )
will the following please raise their hands?
-
-
(of winds, currents, etc) moving in the same direction as the course of a vessel
noun
preposition
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
Etymology
Origin of following
First recorded in 1250–1300, following is from the Middle English word folwing. See follow, -ing 1, -ing 2
Explanation
Following means "coming immediately after," as in: "My birthday was Monday. The following day, I returned the following gifts: a purple cowboy hat, a stuffed aardvark, and huge rubber duckie." To follow is to go after. If you’re watching a TV show, when it’s over you might stay on the couch and watch the following show. As a noun, following can refer to a group of fans or a bunch of people who follow someone in the sense of believing in them. A band might have a large following, and the leader of a cult also has a devoted following. On tests, you're likely to see following used to introduce information or answer choices, as in "Which of the following triangles is an isosceles triangle."
Vocabulary lists containing following
STAAR Grade 6 Reading: The Language of the Test, List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Academic Vocabulary: Core Tier 2 Words, List 7
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
STAAR Grade 5 Reading: The Language of the Test, List 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Over the following year, the two continued to exchange greetings, ideas and invitations.
From Salon • May 19, 2026
As BBC Sport reported on Monday, iconic City boss Guardiola is expected to leave the club following Sunday's game against Aston Villa at Etihad Stadium, their final match of the season.
From BBC • May 19, 2026
Germany had started the process to sell most of its stake in energy giant Uniper, the government said Tuesday, more than three years after nationalising the company following its near collapse amid the Ukraine war.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
The following year, Texas regulators rejected NextEra’s bid for Oncor, one of the largest electricity transmission businesses in the country that at the time was being sold as part of a bankruptcy case.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
They had so many kids following along behind them they looked like a covey of quails.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
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.
