following 1 of 4

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Cassie appeared with her baby bump in a following close-up shot as Fine’s hands cradled her stomach. Kayla Grant, People.com, 14 Mar. 2025 Serena Williams and Meghan Markle's Friendship Timeline Lilibet appeared alongside Williams in a following post as the pair continued to play Candy Land while Meghan, dressed in a loose-fitting navy-blue top and pants, watched. Escher Walcott, People.com, 2 Mar. 2025
Noun
But in a media world where the barriers to entry are more easily surmounted, people with a strong following or fan base can command a sliver all their own that may no longer go to the mainstream outlet for a fix. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 30 May 2025 Kalil built a massive following on social media for comedic content and fan-girl interactions with celebrities on red carpets at award shows and events. Skyler Caruso, People.com, 28 May 2025
Verb
What To Know For years following the Great Recession, the country built much fewer homes than needed. Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025 Swim in a direction following the shoreline. Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for following
Recent Examples of Synonyms for following
Adjective
  • Additionally, the more fiscally conservative Senate is increasingly unhappy with the cost of the bill, which is estimated to add $3.1 trillion to the deficit over the next decade.
    Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Aside from the Club World Cup, Global Citizen is also producing the World Cup final next year.
    Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 9 June 2025
Noun
  • If found guilty in what has already been a sordid trial after just one week and amid rumors of his entourage angling for a pardon from Donald Trump, the 55-year-old Diddy likely faces life behind bars.
    Dominic Patten, Deadline, 20 May 2025
  • Several members of the singer's entourage and Brown's 11:11 tour promoter, Live Nation, are also being sued.
    Alex Heigl, People.com, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • The target audience will be different on each platform, as people use platforms with different intentions.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • The growth of the festival year after year is confirmation that American audiences embrace this.
    Jamie Lang, Variety, 9 June 2025
Noun
  • Art environments are the typically fantastical creations of artists working outside of the mainstream who give over their entire homes and yards to their creative pursuits.
    Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
  • And in Penelope’s pragmatic pursuit of a husband, Coughlan translates her character’s internal struggle.
    Abigail Lee, Variety, 6 June 2025
Preposition
  • But a baseball team’s fortunes can change relatively quickly, and heading into the four-game series this week at Rate Field, the Tigers had the best record in baseball at 39-21, while the Sox were on pace to lose 113 games, after their record-setting 121-loss season of 2024.
    Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 3 June 2025
  • So, that means for the most part, the Reds’ trade pieces are in one of two groups — players who will be a free agent after the 2025 season and those with another year of team control through the 2026 season.
    C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 2 June 2025
Verb
  • But battling isn’t the same as succeeding.
    Ben Standig, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025
  • As job roles continue to shift, the professionals who can combine technical knowledge with creativity, emotional intelligence, and adaptability will be the ones driving change and succeeding in the future of work.
    Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Nebraska is all in on pursuing Millard South tight end Isaac Jensen.
    Mitch Sherman, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
  • Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic listed eight teams pursuing Santana and the Twins weren’t one of them, which isn’t shocking.
    Aaron Gleeman, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • After a year-long delay, PS began construction in May on 12,200 square feet of private suites and shared lounges at Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW).
    Chris Dong, Robb Report, 2 June 2025
  • The property contains 266 rooms and suites across five areas: the main building, La Residenza, La Maisonette, L'Uliveto, and the Villa Rose.
    Taryn White, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Following.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/following. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

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