Definition of followingnext
as in next
being the one that comes immediately after another the following morning, I found the cat was gone

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

following

2 of 4

noun

1
as in entourage
a body of employees or servants who accompany and wait on a person a prince with a large following to do practically everything for him

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2
as in audience
a group of people showing intense devotion to a cause, person, or work (as a film) that rock star attracts quite a following

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3

following

3 of 4

preposition

as in after
subsequent to in time or order following the concert, there will be refreshments in the lobby

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

following

4 of 4

verb

present participle of follow
1
as in succeeding
to come after in time a wrap-up always follows the Super Bowl broadcast

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
4
5
6

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 following
Adjective
Maintain a greater following distance in freeway traffic, slow down before intersections, be cautious on left turns, watch for pedestrians and cyclists before accelerating, avoid aggressive driving and respect higher rural speeds outside city centers. Gretchen Wittenmyer-Stone, Sacbee.com, 21 Apr. 2026 Under the current version of the empty homes tax measure, owners of vacant second homes would have to pay an annual levy of $8,000 the first year, effective in 2027, and $10,000 every following year. Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
Noun
Country Fried Steak Country Fried Steak has its own cult following, and one bite might just convince you of the reason. Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 19 July 2026 Opening day 2024 featured a high of 111 degrees, with triple-digit highs lingering for another 10 days straight following. Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026
Preposition
Campbell appeared emotional following Wednesday’s hearing. Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026 New York City's LaGuardia Airport reopened Monday following Sunday night's runway crash. Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
Before Graves was appointed in December 2022, Deputy Chief Joseph Mabin served as interim chief for several months following former Chief Rick Smith’s unexpected retirement. Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026 Los Angeles was the site of significant unrest following raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. Barry Svrluga, New York Times, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for following
Recent Examples of Synonyms for following
Adjective
  • The World Cup acted as South Downtown’s debut, packing the area with traveling fans and locals taking their first look at downtown Atlanta’s next era.
    Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 30 July 2026
  • With the pads not coming on until next week, the early practice sessions put more focus on technique and conditioning before the physicality ramps up on Monday.
    Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 July 2026
Noun
  • Cash conferred with members of his entourage and his wife and costar, June Carter Cash, across a long table as roadies readied the stage and the Carter Family, the Statler Brothers, and the rockabilly singer Carl Perkins prepared for their sets.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 July 2026
  • Emma’s entourage gathered for the bride to make her big reveal in her wedding gown.
    Shelby Wax, Vogue, 26 July 2026
Noun
  • Over time, as a stronger audience is built, Love hopes integrity to this rule comes along with it.
    Zuri Primos July 27, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026
  • There’s a collective anticipation as the audience looks toward the stage.
    Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 27 July 2026
Noun
  • While the researchers describe the lifestyles of Blue Zoners as simple but highly active, in general, a lot of their pursuits were cognitively based.
    Refractor, Refractor, 27 July 2026
  • Longevity cannot be positioned only as an elite pursuit for people who are already well.
    Billee Howard, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
Preposition
  • The organization, which is responsible for cleaning up the messes after superhero battles, has something that Jean wants locked inside a vault.
    Jordan Moreau, Variety, 31 July 2026
  • The announcement comes just days after rival OpenAI first revealed that its models improperly accessed the internet and went rogue during security testing.
    CBS News, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Verb
  • Firms remain accountable to market forces, succeeding or failing based on their financial performance rather than relying on continuing government support.
    James Broughel, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • The Country Music Association named Brittany Schaffer as its incoming CEO on July 8, succeeding Sarah Trahern, who similarly announced her retirement in advance to allow time for a search committee to find that org’s new leader.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 21 July 2026
Verb
  • The country already spends one of the highest proportions of GDP on defence among NATO members and is simultaneously pursuing acquisitions such as F-35 fighter aircraft and new naval platforms to improve its overall military readiness.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 July 2026
  • Diet culture doesn’t care about your health The flippant comments about this parasite belie the dominant belief that weight loss is inherently about pursuing health.
    Oona Hanson, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
Verb
  • The department reminds motorists to drive cautiously through the area, obeying posted speed limit and road work signage.
    Isabelle Foland, Des Moines Register, 19 July 2026
  • There is a consequence to not obeying the science of immunization.
    CBS News, CBS News, 28 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Following.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/following. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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