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 of follower

• 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

Carlos Eduardo Espina just might be one of the most in-demand influencers in Democratic politics -- so much so that those widely seen as possible 2028 presidential candidates have invited him to collaborate or to their events in the hopes of being exposed to his nearly 20 million followers. —Hannah Demissie, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026

According to police affidavits filed in court and viewed by PEOPLE, the 35-year-old content creator — whose now-unavailable Instagram page boasted 366,000 followers — and a woman identified as Stephanie Lichay, 35, were accused of leaving another hotel room with cash and luxury accessories. —Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026

Such programming has been replaced by live platforms such as TikTok Shop, where consumers can buy products touted by influencers with tens of thousands of followers on Instagram and YouTube. —Anne D'innocenzio, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026

The actress, producer and book club founder took to social media to speak out about leaning in to artificial intelligence, rankling some of her followers in the process. —Anika Reed, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2026

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