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

Paul Goebbels was the chief propagandist for the Nazi Party and one of Hitler's closest and most passionate followers. —Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025

Atienza, who had more than 880,000 followers on TikTok and more than 230,000 on Instagram, spoke last month about how social media had affected her mental health. —Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025

In March, Schumer praised the effects of Mounjaro (also known as tirzepatide) in an Instagram video shared with her nearly 13 million followers. —Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025

Emman Atienza was a famous TikTok influencer with nearly 1 million followers. —Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 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