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
1
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
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
as in pursuing
to go after or on the track of
let's follow the boys to their hiding place
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in obeying
to act according to the commands of
follow me, and you'll do OK
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in traversing
to make one's way through, across, or over
followed the path into the garden
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in noting
to take notice of and be guided by
don't follow his advice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in watching
to keep one's eyes on
stood on the platform and followed the departing train until it disappeared from sight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of following
Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
Adhere to the two-second rule for maintaining a safe following distance behind the vehicle in front of you.
—Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 18 Feb. 2026
Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 1 May 2026
Clark is the young genre filmmaker who has gained a large following in the YouTube horror space.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 30 Apr. 2026
Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
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
Glenn Garner, Deadline, 19 Apr. 2026
After the foregone conclusion of quarterback Fernando Mendoza going to the Las Vegas Raiders with the top selection, there are several others who should hear their name called either later Thursday night in Round 1 or throughout the ensuing six rounds over the following two days.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for following
Adjective
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
Adhere to the two-second rule for maintaining a safe following distance behind the vehicle in front of you.
—Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 18 Feb. 2026
Noun
These two spots have devoted local followings.
—Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 1 May 2026
Clark is the young genre filmmaker who has gained a large following in the YouTube horror space.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 30 Apr. 2026
Preposition
New York City's LaGuardia Airport reopened Monday following Sunday night's runway crash.
—Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
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
Verb
Mindy Cohn is on the mend after secretly undergoing a cancer treatment, following her first time beating breast cancer in 2017.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 19 Apr. 2026
After the foregone conclusion of quarterback Fernando Mendoza going to the Las Vegas Raiders with the top selection, there are several others who should hear their name called either later Thursday night in Round 1 or throughout the ensuing six rounds over the following two days.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for following
Recent Examples of Synonyms for following
Adjective
-
The Celtics missed their next four shots, and the 76ers pushed it to 105-98 on a pair of free throws by Maxey.—
Kyle Hightower,
Chicago Tribune,
3 May 2026
-
Let curiosity lead, and choose the next step that keeps things moving forward without overthinking it.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
Bain showed up with an entourage of eight friends and family members.—
Rick Stroud,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
-
Imai’s longtime trainer, whose arrival in Houston was delayed by visa issues, has now joined his entourage, a move team officials hope will aid the transition.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the process, however, one of the big distinguishing aspects of TV – the large audiences who once assembled to watch dramas, sitcoms and reality shows – has eroded.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Applause during a joint session is usually an awkward and partisan art; at the recent State of the Union, Vance and Johnson stood like professional opera clappers behind the President as Democrats in the audience shook their heads.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Beyond the question of criminal referrals, the commission’s report urged DHS to restrict certain ICE and Customs and Border Protection practices, including the use of chemical agents, physical force and vehicle pursuits during civil immigration enforcement.—
Olivia Olander,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
-
Tillis, speaking to The Washington Post after the Comey charges were announced, sounded skeptical about the case and seemed to directly link a confirmation vote for Boyle to the pursuit of actual crime.—
Chris Brennan,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Preposition
-
Carolyn Hax started her Washington Post advice column in 1997, after five years on the Style desk and none as a therapist.—
Carolyn Hax,
Washington Post,
15 May 2026
-
Their immediate challenge is that the ruling came down well after filing deadlines for this year’s primary elections — and in some cases, after those primary elections have been held.—
Nicholas Riccardi,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Projects that are proud of their taste and a little bit of an underdog have a great chance of succeeding to a level where really interesting independent filmmaking becomes possible.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
29 Apr. 2026
-
But his peers laughed off the idea, and not much changed over the succeeding decades.—
Alex Hutchinson,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Now prosecutors pursuing the threats case face their own challenge of proving that Comey intended to communicate a true threat or at least recklessly discounted the possibility that the statement could be understood as a threat.—
Eric Tucker,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
-
America should be pursuing policies that ease the burden on US manufacturers to become the dominant force in this race, not increase it.—
Alex Durante,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Footage from the scene shows the group obeying police instructions when a plain clothes officer grabbed Salman’s hand, twisting it and causing a fracture in her wrist.—
Oren Liebermann,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
-
So long as Lil Nas X complies with the treatment plan determined after his bipolar disorder diagnosis, as well as obeying all laws for the next two years, the case will be dismissed.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Following.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/following. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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