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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.

Sri Lanka will treat Iranian sailors rescued from a torpedoed frigate according to international law, a minister said Saturday, following reports that Washington was pressuring Colombo to not repatriate them.

From Barron's

The 34-year-old right-back scored the opener on 23 minutes with a fine header following a perfectly timed run to meet Taylor Hinds' cross to ensure England's early pressure paid off.

From BBC

After restarting chemotherapy in November, she underwent surgery again in January but died the following month.

From BBC

The U.S. and its allies deployed some Merops systems in Poland and Romania last year following incursions by Russian drones.

From The Wall Street Journal

The following week, I interviewed Condoleezza Rice at the White House, alongside another Arab journalist.

From Salon

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.