follow

verb

ˈfä-(ˌ)lō How to pronounce follow (audio)
Definition of follownext
1
as in to succeed
to come after in time a wrap-up always follows the Super Bowl broadcast

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to pursue
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 to obey
to act according to the commands of follow me, and you'll do OK

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to traverse
to make one's way through, across, or over followed the path into the garden

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5
as in to note
to take notice of and be guided by don't follow his advice

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to observe
to keep one's eyes on stood on the platform and followed the departing train until it disappeared from sight

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 His death happened two weeks after his release tour for High, Lonesome and Then Some was canceled following Snider’s involvement in a still-unclear incident in Salt Lake City that landed him in a hospital and in jail. — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2026 In the months following their return to the UK, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have kept quiet about what brought them back. — Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 24 Oct. 2026 The antenna’s radiating surface would face downward, with a protective cover following the wing’s external contours. — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026 The state's vehicle code classifies personal delivery devices as pedestrians and generally requires them to follow pedestrian traffic rules. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for follow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for follow
  1. succeed
  2. pursue
  3. obey
  4. traverse
  5. note
  6. observe
  7. replace
  8. chase
Verb
  • Even if the progressive candidates Ocasio-Cortez is backing succeed on Election Day, a presidential run would present a different challenge.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • But by 1992, May Wah had succeeded in evicting the last two tenants.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of succeed
Verb
  • As of Thursday morning, the government had filed charging documents in 10 of the 28 cases, offering additional details about how authorities relied on voter registration data to pursue broader criminal charges around immigration status.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
  • L3Harris is pursuing an air-breathing ramjet design intended to improve fuel efficiency and extend engagement distances.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of pursue
Verb
  • Because light obeys a superposition principle even under classical physics, this experimental breakthrough doesn’t imply that Schrödinger’s equation necessarily applies to objects 12,900 kilometers wide.
    — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • If the company chooses to obey, the Chinese might retaliate with the denial of crucial rare-earth metals.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of obey
Verb
  • That certainly is the case traversing from the old 13th District to the new one.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Set on a mysterious island ravaged by floods and warring armies, a masked boy and girl must traverse atmospheric environments, rescue friends, and confront nightmarish monsters.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of traverse
Verb
  • County lawyers in defending the case noted an autopsy revealed a large quantity of methamphetamine in Garza’s body.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The motion noted that Brockway gave an officer a residence key that was later given to another officer who presumed it to imply consent for entry.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of note
Verb
  • Still, the Justice Department is planning its largest-ever election monitoring effort, with about 1,000 department staff expected to observe voting and ensure federal laws are being followed, said spokesperson Kiersten Pels.
    — STEVE PEOPLES, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Total water levels this week in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties could reach more than 8 feet above the baseline, which is defined as the average daily lowest water level observed between 1983 and 2001.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of observe
Verb
  • Continue reading … DIRTY POLITICS — Antifa supporter charged with stealing GOP campaign signs in NY race to replace Stefanik.
    — , FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • It's called an exchange because borrowing entities, like a regional heating oil retailer, would be required to replace the same volume at a premium ahead of next year.
    — Cooper Katz McKim, NPR, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of replace
Verb
  • Rather than chasing fancy titles or splashy paychecks throughout her career, she’s gravitated toward jobs that pushed her out of her comfort zone, forced her to take risks, and taught her to embrace a little chaos.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • At Fox, the viewer is the star, or at least the north star, the thing that everyone is chasing.
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of chase

Phrases Containing follow

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follies
follow
followed
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Cite this Entry

“Follow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/follow. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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