Synonyms of follow

follow 1 of 2

verb (1)

ˈfä-(ˌ)lō 

1

as in to succeed

to come after in time

a wrap-up always follows the Super Bowl broadcast

Synonyms & Similar Words

• succeed
• replace
• supersede
• supervene
• postdate
• supplant
• ensue
• displace

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• precede
• predate
• antedate

2

as in to pursue

to go after or on the track of

let's follow the boys to their hiding place

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pursue
• chase
• track
• accompany
• course
• trace
• escort
• trail
• watch
• dog
• tag
• tail
• run
• run after
• hound
• seek
• shadow
• observe
• hunt
• bird-dog
• eye
• search (for)
• chaperon
• chaperone

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• lead
• guide
• pilot
• head

3

as in to obey

to act according to the commands of

follow me, and you'll do OK

Synonyms & Similar Words

• obey
• observe
• conform (to)
• comply (with)
• adhere (to)
• abide by
• mind
• keep to
• fall in with
• hear
• watch
• goose-step (to)
• take
• submit (to)
• regard
• yield (to)
• surrender (to)
• heed
• agree (to)
• notice
• defer (to)
• accede (to)
• attend
• acquiesce (to)
• assent (to)
• listen (to)
• note
• mark

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• defy
• disobey
• lead
• dare
• refuse
• challenge
• ignore
• direct
• renounce
• disregard
• rebel (against)
• repudiate
• dismiss
• violate
• overlook
• pass over
• break
• brush (off)
• transgress
• disoblige
• infringe
• oppose
• flout
• resist
• fight
• breach
• wink (at)
• deride
• mock
• pooh
• withstand
• tune out
• scoff (at)
• scorn
• revolt (against)
• contest
• shrug off
• combat
• dispute
• overpass
• buck
• pooh-pooh
• mutiny (against)

4

as in to traverse

to make one's way through, across, or over

followed the path into the garden

Synonyms & Similar Words

• traverse
• cross
• navigate
• walk
• travel
• track
• course
• cover
• pass (over)
• go
• cut (across)
• proceed (along)
• ride
• transit
• tread
• hike
• perambulate
• peregrinate
• run
• traipse
• tramp
• crisscross

5

as in to note

to take notice of and be guided by

don't follow his advice

Synonyms & Similar Words

• note
• obey
• observe
• heed
• regard
• watch
• consider
• listen (to)
• respect
• mind
• keep
• hear
• see
• contemplate
• weigh
• notice
• ponder
• conform (to)
• comply (with)
• attend (to)
• mull
• mark
• hearken (to)
• hark (to)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignore
• disregard
• dismiss
• tune out
• pass over
• neglect
• defy
• brush (aside or off)
• scorn
• gloss (over)
• flout
• discount
• shrug off
• pooh
• slight
• pooh-pooh
• gloze (over)
• snub

6

as in to observe

to keep one's eyes on

stood on the platform and followed the departing train until it disappeared from sight

Synonyms & Similar Words

• observe
• watch
• eye
• see
• look
• view
• stare
• perceive
• have one's eye on
• monitor
• look on
• regard
• gaze
• guard
• wake
• gawk
• study
• peer
• behold
• gape
• glimpse
• ward
• peep
• spy
• rubberneck
• peek
• glare
• bird-dog
• goggle
• espy
• glance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• blink
• wink

follows

2 of 2

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of follow

1

as in replaces

to come after in time

a wrap-up always follows the Super Bowl broadcast

Synonyms & Similar Words

• replaces
• succeeds
• supersedes
• supervenes
• ensues
• supplants
• postdates
• displaces

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• precedes
• predates
• antedates

2

as in pursues

to go after or on the track of

let's follow the boys to their hiding place

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pursues
• chases
• tracks
• accompanies
• traces
• escorts
• runs after
• courses
• trails
• runs
• shadows
• tails
• tags
• dogs
• watches
• seeks
• hounds
• bird-dogs
• observes
• hunts
• eyes
• searches (for)
• chaperons
• chaperones

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• leads
• guides
• pilots
• heads

3

as in obeys

to act according to the commands of

follow me, and you'll do OK

Synonyms & Similar Words

• obeys
• observes
• conforms (to)
• adheres (to)
• complies (with)
• keeps to
• falls in with
• minds
• hears
• abides by
• goose-steps (to)
• takes
• submits (to)
• yields (to)
• regards
• surrenders (to)
• watches
• defers (to)
• notices
• agrees (to)
• heeds
• assents (to)
• accedes (to)
• attends
• notes
• marks
• acquiesces (to)
• listens (to)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• defies
• leads
• disobeys
• rebels (against)
• directs
• refuses
• ignores
• dares
• challenges
• renounces
• repudiates
• disregards
• violates
• dismisses
• overlooks
• passes over
• breaks
• transgresses
• brushes (off)
• mocks
• infringes
• opposes
• shrugs off
• disobliges
• flouts
• derides
• scorns
• winks (at)
• resists
• breaches
• withstands
• tunes out
• scoffs (at)
• fights
• disputes
• combats
• poohs
• pooh-poohs
• revolts (against)
• contests
• overpasses
• bucks
• mutinies (against)

4

as in traverses

to make one's way through, across, or over

followed the path into the garden

Synonyms & Similar Words

• traverses
• crosses
• navigates
• walks
• travels
• covers
• tracks
• goes
• passes (over)
• courses
• proceeds (along)
• cuts (across)
• rides
• treads
• hikes
• perambulates
• peregrinates
• transits
• runs
• traipses
• tramps
• crisscrosses

5

as in notes

to take notice of and be guided by

don't follow his advice

Synonyms & Similar Words

• notes
• obeys
• observes
• considers
• regards
• respects
• listens (to)
• watches
• heeds
• contemplates
• keeps
• hears
• minds
• sees
• weighs
• notices
• ponders
• conforms (to)
• complies (with)
• mulls
• attends (to)
• marks
• hearkens (to)
• harks (to)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignores
• disregards
• dismisses
• neglects
• passes over
• scorns
• defies
• discounts
• shrugs off
• glosses (over)
• brushes (aside or off)
• flouts
• tunes out
• poohs
• pooh-poohs
• glozes (over)
• snubs
• slights

6

as in observes

to keep one's eyes on

stood on the platform and followed the departing train until it disappeared from sight

Synonyms & Similar Words

• observes
• watches
• eyes
• sees
• looks
• stares
• perceives
• has one's eye on
• beholds
• views
• regards
• looks on
• gazes
• wakes
• peers
• monitors
• gapes
• guards
• glares
• gawks
• studies
• espies
• goggles
• spies
• wards
• peeks
• glimpses
• rubbernecks
• bird-dogs
• peeps
• glances

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• winks
• blinks

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of follow

Verb

Boston’s late-inning offense followed an up-and-down start by Gil, who held the Red Sox to two runs (one earned) over five innings, despite issuing five walks and allowing four hits. —Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 22 Aug. 2025

Traders Point Covered Bridge 91 W. 82nd St. in Indianapolis Bridge builder Josiah Durfee constructed the structure around 1880, following in the footsteps of early settlers who built the covered bridges with Indiana's abundant timber. —Domenica Bongiovanni, IndyStar, 21 Aug. 2025

Verb

This agreement follows similar contracts reached with Hyatt workers on Friday and Marriott workers last Thursday, covering a total of 2,500 workers who had been on strike since late September. —Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 25 Dec. 2024

Growth shows little sign of slowing as a global product, but the cycle that follows 2028-29 will present new opportunities. —Philip Buckingham, The Athletic, 25 Dec. 2024

Phrases Containing follow

• follow through (with)
• follow up