following

1 of 3

adjective

fol·​low·​ing ˈfä-lə-wiŋ How to pronounce following (audio)
1
: being next in order or time
the following day
2
: listed or shown next
trains will leave at the following times

following

2 of 3

noun

: a group of followers, adherents, or partisans

following

3 of 3

preposition

: subsequent to
following the lecture tea was served

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. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
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 See More

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

First Known Use

Adjective

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

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Preposition

1841, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of following was before the 12th century

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.

Kids Definition

following

1 of 3 adjective
fol·​low·​ing ˈfäl-ə-wiŋ How to pronounce following (audio)
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

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