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
• watch
• trail
• dog
• tag
• tail
• run
• run after
• hound
• seek
• shadow
• observe
• hunt
• bird-dog
• eye
• search (for)
• 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
• 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
• 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
• courses
• trails
• runs
• shadows
• tails
• runs after
• tags
• dogs
• watches
• seeks
• hounds
• bird-dogs
• observes
• hunts
• eyes
• searches (for)
• 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
• 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
• 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

Synonym Chooser

How is the word follow different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of follow are ensue, succeed, and supervene. While all these words mean "to come after something or someone," follow may apply to a coming after in time, position, or logical sequence.

speeches followed the dinner

When is it sensible to use ensue instead of follow?

While the synonyms ensue and follow are close in meaning, ensue commonly suggests a logical consequence or naturally expected development.

after the talk a general discussion ensued

When is succeed a more appropriate choice than follow?

Although the words succeed and follow have much in common, succeed implies a coming after immediately in a sequence determined by natural order, inheritance, election, or laws of rank.

she succeeded her father as head of the business

When can supervene be used instead of follow?

The words supervene and follow can be used in similar contexts, but supervene suggests the following or beginning of something unforeseen or unpredictable.

unable to continue because of supervening circumstances

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of follow

Verb

Most recently, the Pacific Island nation of Nauru switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in January 2024, following similar moves by Honduras in 2023 and Nicaragua in 2021. —ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026

The movie follows the true story of WWE superstar Paige (real name Saraya Bevis), played in the film by Florence Pugh. —Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 21 Apr. 2026

Verb

The Senate Parliamentarian would likely rule that the old 60-vote threshold still applies to the discharge resolution, even if the nomination that follows it only needs 51. —Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026

The ballet troupe’s 25th anniversary production follows Jack and Jill down a rabbit hole, through a cave of wonders and into Neverland, set upon music by Charlie Chaplin, Carl Davis, Carmen DeLeone and Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky. —Eric E. Harrison, Arkansas Online, 22 Apr. 2026

Phrases Containing follow

• follow through (with)
• follow up