follower

noun

fol·​low·​er ˈfä-lə-wər 

1

a

: one in the service of another : retainer

b

: one that follows the opinions or teachings of another

c

: one that imitates another

2

archaic : one that chases

3

: a sheet added to the first sheet of an indenture or other deed

4

: a machine part that receives motion from another part

5

: a spring-loaded plate at the bottom of a firearm's magazine that angles cartridges for proper insertion into the chamber

6

: fan, devotee

7

: one who subscribes to a feed especially on social media

His account has thousands of followers.

Synonyms

• adherent
• disciple

Choose the Right Synonym for follower

follower, adherent, disciple, partisan mean one who gives full loyalty and support to another.

follower may apply to people who attach themselves either to the person or beliefs of another.

an evangelist and his followers

adherent suggests a close and persistent attachment.

adherents to Marxism

disciple implies a devoted allegiance to the teachings of one chosen as a master.

disciples of Gandhi

partisan suggests a zealous often prejudiced attachment.

partisans of the President

Examples of follower in a Sentence

The party drew most of its followers from among young people.

The band has a large group of followers.

He had a reputation of being a follower, not a leader.

Recent Examples on the Web

In Instagram comments, Wales Bonner invited followers to sign up for the newsletter on walesbonner.com for further updates. —Riley Jones, Footwear News, 5 July 2025

The actress, who is on vacation in Sardinia, has delighted her 571K followers on Instagram by proudly displaying her collection of bikinis while beating the heat with pals. —Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2025

Aside from the monetary value, the Bananas have become social media celebrities, with the team's TikTok account reaching over 10 million followers. —Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 3 July 2025

The Savannah Bananas first conquered TikTok, where the untraditional baseball troupe has twice as many followers as the Cubs, Dodgers and Yankees combined. —Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 2 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing follower

• camp follower

Kids Definition

follower

noun

fol·​low·​er ˈfäl-ə-wər 

1

: attendant entry 2 sense 1

2

: supporter, adherent

3

: disciple sense 1

4

: one who subscribes to a feed especially on social media