Synonyms of ensue

ensue

verb

as in to follow

to come at a later time; to happen as a result

When the news broke, a long period of chaos ensued.

Related Words

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

Dissimilar Words

• precede
• predate
• antedate

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of ensue are follow, succeed, and supervene. While all these words mean "to come after something or someone," ensue commonly suggests a logical consequence or naturally expected development.

after the talk a general discussion ensued

When can follow be used instead of ensue?

In some situations, the words follow and ensue are roughly equivalent. However, follow may apply to a coming after in time, position, or logical sequence.

speeches followed the dinner

When might succeed be a better fit than ensue?

The meanings of succeed and ensue largely overlap; however, 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 would supervene be a good substitute for ensue?

Although the words supervene and ensue have much in common, supervene suggests the following or beginning of something unforeseen or unpredictable.

unable to continue because of supervening circumstances

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of ensue

Lara Prasnikar netted the ensuing penalty kick with a shot into the upper-left corner of the net that beat the dive of Legacy keeper Casey Murphy. —Greg Dudek, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026

Please write a follow-up article on how many property tax delinquencies ensue this year. —Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026

When sperms managed to reach the eggs, the ensuing early-stage embryos, called blastocysts, initially appeared stronger than their counterparts conceived in gravity. —Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 27 Mar. 2026

Others are more pointed; her recounting of an attempt to make a new friend and the disastrous dinner party that ensued, a nightmarish experience on the set of an (unnamed) indie movie set, a nightmarish experience becoming a member of an (unnamed) celebrity and influencer gym in Los Angeles. —Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2026