fol·low·ing
ˈfä-lə-wiŋ 
1
: being next in order or time
the following day
2
: listed or shown next
trains will leave at the following times
: subsequent to
following the lecture tea was served
Synonyms
Examples of following in a Sentence
Adjective
She found a good job, and moved into a new house the following year.
We met again the following day.
Trains will leave at the following times: 2 p.m., 4 p.m., and 8 p.m.
If you have questions or comments, please write to us at the following address: P.O. Box 234,….
Noun
The band has a large and devoted following in Japan.
The movement quickly gained a following among young people.
Preposition
Following the lecture, refreshments were served.
We were tired for a few days following our trip.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2023
Condor was seen in a following shot posing with her hands in her pockets beside her actor beau in the same hallway.
—Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 9 Oct. 2023
Signifying the passage of time, the text updated with each following year, laid over shots of the couple dancing at their evening wedding reception at Royal Lodge, a formal portrait in their wedding best and smiling for a selfie.
—Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 12 Oct. 2023
There will be five additional stores opening in 2026 and five stores each following year.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 28 Sep. 2023
This set has developed such a following online, it's earned more than 11,000 five-star reviews on Amazon.
—Rachel Rothman, Good Housekeeping, 18 Aug. 2023
For example, a following generation would likely be the Intel Core 2000 series, although the company is still ironing out the exact details of how the new numbering scheme will represent successive generations.
—Michael Kan, PCMAG, 15 June 2023
Strawberry also has a following online, with over 3,000 followers on Instagram.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 15 May 2023
The stock soared 26% in the following session and is up 99% this year after giving back some gains Monday.
—Jack Pitcher, WSJ, 6 Feb. 2023
Red Fabbri, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023
The two companies built devoted followings by promising to build populist technology for a changing world: X, formerly known as Twitter, with its global village of conversations, and OpenAI, the research lab behind ChatGPT, with its super-intelligent companions for human thought.
—Drew Harwell, Washington Post, 23 Nov. 2023
Nestled in the heart of Jumeirah, this homegrown concept led by renowned Singaporean chef Akmal Anuar has built a loyal following of locals who stop by for leisurely lunches, social dinners, or weekend breakfasts with friends.
—Claudia De Brito, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Nov. 2023
Woo developed an international following; his American admirers included Scorsese, Oliver Stone, and Quentin Tarantino—and moved to Hollywood in 1992.
—Simon Abrams, The New Yorker, 19 Nov. 2023
The team still has a large following in Southern California, and fans routinely fly up to games in Oakland.
—Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov. 2023
The influencers each have followings that range from a few thousand to a few hundred thousand followers.
—Angela Yang, NBC News, 15 Nov. 2023
Sullivan had attended and filmed other protests, and built a large following on social media starting in the summer of 2020.
—Tom Jackman, Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2023
But it's cultivated a loyal following, thanks to its no-high-rises shoreline, incredible sunsets, and small-town feel.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 16 Nov. 2023
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Adjective
Keith Lee has been known for his straightforward and blunt food reviews on TikTok — content that’s built him a following 14.5 million deep, and dozens of small business owners have credited him with saving their restaurants.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2023
Condor was seen in a following shot posing with her hands in her pockets beside her actor beau in the same hallway.
—Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 9 Oct. 2023
Signifying the passage of time, the text updated with each following year, laid over shots of the couple dancing at their evening wedding reception at Royal Lodge, a formal portrait in their wedding best and smiling for a selfie.
—Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 12 Oct. 2023
There will be five additional stores opening in 2026 and five stores each following year.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 28 Sep. 2023
This set has developed such a following online, it's earned more than 11,000 five-star reviews on Amazon.
—Rachel Rothman, Good Housekeeping, 18 Aug. 2023
For example, a following generation would likely be the Intel Core 2000 series, although the company is still ironing out the exact details of how the new numbering scheme will represent successive generations.
—Michael Kan, PCMAG, 15 June 2023
Strawberry also has a following online, with over 3,000 followers on Instagram.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 15 May 2023
The stock soared 26% in the following session and is up 99% this year after giving back some gains Monday.
—Jack Pitcher, WSJ, 6 Feb. 2023
Noun
Several brands have loyal followings, but few have earned it as meaningfully over the years as Yeti.
—Red Fabbri, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023
The two companies built devoted followings by promising to build populist technology for a changing world: X, formerly known as Twitter, with its global village of conversations, and OpenAI, the research lab behind ChatGPT, with its super-intelligent companions for human thought.
—Drew Harwell, Washington Post, 23 Nov. 2023
Nestled in the heart of Jumeirah, this homegrown concept led by renowned Singaporean chef Akmal Anuar has built a loyal following of locals who stop by for leisurely lunches, social dinners, or weekend breakfasts with friends.
—Claudia De Brito, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Nov. 2023
Woo developed an international following; his American admirers included Scorsese, Oliver Stone, and Quentin Tarantino—and moved to Hollywood in 1992.
—Simon Abrams, The New Yorker, 19 Nov. 2023
The team still has a large following in Southern California, and fans routinely fly up to games in Oakland.
—Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov. 2023
The influencers each have followings that range from a few thousand to a few hundred thousand followers.
—Angela Yang, NBC News, 15 Nov. 2023
Sullivan had attended and filmed other protests, and built a large following on social media starting in the summer of 2020.
—Tom Jackman, Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2023
But it's cultivated a loyal following, thanks to its no-high-rises shoreline, incredible sunsets, and small-town feel.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 16 Nov. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'following.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing following
Dictionary Entries Near following
Cite this Entry
“Following.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/following. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
following
1 of 3 adjective
fol·low·ing
ˈfäl-ə-wiŋ
1
: being next in order or time
the following day
2
: listed or shown next
following
2 of 3 noun
: a group of followers
following
3 of 3 preposition
: immediately after
More from Merriam-Webster on following
Nglish: Translation of following for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of following for Arabic Speakers
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