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as in to succeed
to come after in time a wrap-up always follows the Super Bowl broadcast

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of follow The film follows a group of travel vloggers who find themselves in a remote village haunted by ancient rituals and a terrifying legend. Zac Ntim, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2025 According to reports from Variety and the BBC, the Sin City actor, 72, agreed on Saturday, April 21, to exit the show following a disagreement between himself and fellow housemate Chris Hughes. Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 13 Apr. 2025 The two-out homer was followed by a Jonathan Aranda single and a fly ball smashed off the bat of Christopher Morel that Harris hauled in with a leaping, twisting catch in front of the center-field wall. David O'Brien, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025 Younger brother Tatum followed via surrogate in July 2022. Nicholas Rice, People.com, 13 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for follow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for follow
Verb
  • Durbin’s decision to leave kickstarts what is expected to be a competitive primary among Illinois Democrats who are looking to succeed him.
    Sudiksha Kochi, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
  • No one in the last 25 years had those measurements or shorter and succeeded long term at left tackle.
    Chad Graff, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The New York Times, have pursued legal action over unauthorized use of their content.[^4] For most businesses, especially small and mid-sized companies, appearing in AI answers represents valuable free exposure and brand recognition.
    John Werner, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
  • And Anna, the opera singer working in London, shared all our experiences of bucking family tradition, pursuing the arts and craving the spotlight.
    Jessie Rosen, People.com, 3 May 2025
Verb
  • The high-ranking priests swore to obey the rules of the funeral plans that Pope Francis made last year.
    Gabriele Regalbuto, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2025
  • To some, such statements show the administration is refusing to obey the nation's highest court. Don't wait to get your Real ID Some states are in a scramble to make sure everyone has a compliant Real ID before a May 7 deadline.
    Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Equipped with state-of-the-art mobile storytelling studios, the Video Voyagers tour buses will traverse the U.S., gathering firsthand accounts from local leaders, small business owners, and everyday citizens who define their communities.
    Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 3 May 2025
  • Lacking an apparent story or discernible narrative, your eye/mind/attention/consciousness (yes, all of these things, all at once) were left to track the taut zebra strings traversing the prop-laden set.
    Andrew Lampert, Artforum, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • The number could be even higher − the database notes that several universities did not indicate the amount of visas that had been revoked.
    Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 4 May 2025
  • Our tester noted that the pieces felt well made, supportive, and sturdy, and the waterproof cushions held up well despite numerous rainy days.
    Maggie Horton, People.com, 3 May 2025
Verb
  • As Kiew has observed, there has also been a shift in hiring priorities.
    William Jones, USA Today, 3 May 2025
  • In 1908, the first formal Mother’s Day celebrations were observed on the second Sunday in May—the anniversary of Jarvis’ mothers death—in Grafton, West Virginia and in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
    Rebecca Schneid, Time, 2 May 2025
Verb
  • Using accessible platforms such as 311, public school parents and community members should be able to report broken buzzers and defective security equipment in schools to ensure administrators can quickly address defects and replace them.
    Savanah Jackson, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2025
  • Here, golden grasslands replace waterfalls and the horizon seems to stretch forever.
    Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 27 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The manager has now taken him off with his team chasing a goal in six games this season.
    Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 1 May 2025
  • Unlike many fashion brands that chase seasonal trends, Freja New York releases individual styles for each season, perfecting them through customer feedback.
    Angela Lei, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Follow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/follow. Accessed 7 May. 2025.

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