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

Intel shares jumped 33% to around $33 a share in premarket trading following news of the deal. —John Melloy, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2025

Luis Gil pitched six hitless innings in Friday’s matchup, and Max Fried followed on Saturday by allowing just two runs. —Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025

Verb

The show follows an ambitious friend group that navigates life and love in LA. —Nick Caruso, TVLine, 18 Sep. 2025

Red Dead Redemption 2 follows an outlaw named Arthur Morgan, who's part of the Van der Linde gang. —George Yang, PC Magazine, 11 Sep. 2025

Phrases Containing follow

• follow through (with)
• follow up