following 1 of 4

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

following

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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
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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
Jackson's following pass to Chris Dawn Jr., which would've been a touchdown, is long. Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 28 Oct. 2025 Motorists are urged to slow down, use headlights, and maintain a safe following distance to prevent collisions. Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
With Phoebe’s bringing its local following to a new neighborhood and Snooze continuing its regional expansion, Austin brunch fans will soon have more options to satisfy morning cravings. Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 29 Jan. 2026 After developing a celebrity following and being recognized as the best barbecue in Riyadh, Ramadani thinks Texans will like his barbecue too. Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Jan. 2026
Preposition
The Manhattan District Attorney's Office released the video on Tuesday afternoon following day 6 of hearings to determine if evidence will be excluded from Mangione's trial. Adam Sabes , Maria Paronich, FOXNews.com, 10 Dec. 2025 Rozier was arrested in Orlando, where the Heat stayed overnight following Wednesday’s 125-121 season-opening loss to the Magic. Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
The host noted the date of the insurrection, following President Joe Biden's win over Trump in the 2020 election for president, early on. Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Jan. 2026 But his messaging was different following the loss on Tuesday. Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 7 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for following
Recent Examples of Synonyms for following
Adjective
  • House Republicans are preparing a contempt resolution for Clinton and his wife next week over their refusal to testify as part of their Epstein investigation.
    David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Analysts predict that cost reductions will accelerate over the next three years as supply chains expand, with Morgan Stanley estimating that once capacity reaches about 100 GWh, sodium batteries could be more than 30% cheaper than LFP cells.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 31 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • He could be spotted playing pick-up basketball, attending local high school games, or just hanging out with his entourage at the Rock ‘N’ Roll McDonald’s.
    Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Baelor’s brother Maekar Targaryen (Sam Spruell), the fourth son of King Daeron, is also among the Targaryen entourage that arrives in Ashford.
    Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • What will the audience at home think?
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Big Think reaches a global audience that uses our content to teach, learn, and lead.
    Daphne Koller, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Speed Skating 500m and Team Pursuit will also give medals in speed skating sprint distances (including the men’s 500m and women’s 500m) on February 10, with team pursuit finals to follow later in the Games.
    Sam Leveridge, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Often, his philosophy of life, his vaunted pursuit of happiness, anchored his letter.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
Preposition
  • Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio.
    , CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
  • In December, independent streetwear brand Named Collective announced the launch of activewear brand Nth Active after years of watching its customers wear its hoodies and joggers to the gym.
    Amy Francombe, Vogue, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Author Ta-Nehisi Coates, an 8-year-old in West Baltimore at the time of the murder, offers piercing commentary on the impact of both the initial crime and the succeeding one, the grievously unjust trial that put three kids in the penitentiary.
    Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Builders succeeding in 2026 will prioritize cost discipline, engage pro-reform jurisdictions, invest selectively, build workforce resilience, and monitor regulatory developments closely.
    Brad Hunter, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The Los Angeles Police Department is pursuing a driver wanted for burglary on Wednesday morning near the Inglewood area.
    CBS LA Staff, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Izaya Igaki and William Tsukamoto were two of the ten men on the Netflix dating show who were placed in Hokkaido to run a coffee truck together, while also pursuing romantic endeavors.
    Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Writing isn’t about compiling a list of rules and then obeying them.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
  • If money talks, there clearly was a feeling George violated the letter of the law by obeying the spirit of her profession.
    David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 13 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Following.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/following. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

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