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
In a following video, Kardashian filmed some of her birthday balloons displaying photos of her face stuck on them in another birthday surprise. Escher Walcott, People.com, 22 Oct. 2024 Pelon's Food Truck has gained its following solely through word of mouth, Guthrie said. Endia Fontanez, The Arizona Republic, 15 Oct. 2024
Noun
Building a following was difficult early on, but Walsh remained diligent and once even streamed for 24 hours straight. Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2025 The band found a following but didn’t fully catch on, with Carol playing the keyboard because the cello apparently didn’t fit their sound. Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 11 Apr. 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
  • After the remote vehicle first spotted the upright automobile while peering through the hangar deck from the Yorktown's port side, the crew sent it back the next day to get a better look.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 24 Apr. 2025
  • The announcement Tuesday is meant to spur the food dye industry to cooperate in eliminating those dyes by the end of next year, according to the department.
    Faith E. Pinho, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • When the service ended, one woman ran after the president’s entourage sobbing and demanding accountability.
    Frances Robles, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Additionally, the rosin extraction process preserves the delicate terpenes that contribute to the entourage effect, enhancing the overall experience for consumers. hometownhero.com Market Trends and Consumer Preferences The demand for solventless concentrates has seen a notable increase.
    Matt Rozo, Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The Second Vatican Council, a policymaking assembly that convened 60 years ago, aimed to make the church more accessible to a wider audience — a goal that many have compared to Francis' legacy.
    Liam Adams, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Midway through the first season of Étoile, a lavish dramedy set in the realm of elite professional ballet, the greatest and most volatile dancer in the world uses her curtain call to address the audience.
    Judy Berman, Time, 23 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • During the pursuit, a state police cruiser was struck by the box truck.
    Staff report, Hartford Courant, 24 Apr. 2025
  • If the writing can get cute, there lies within it a palpable appreciation for people who dedicate themselves to a brutally challenging and relatively under-rewarded pursuit.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2025
Preposition
  • Many of them have been living and working in South Florida after being sponsored by relatives to come to the United States to apply for asylum or other protections instead of trying to get in through the U.S.-Mexico border, where a migrant crisis erupted during the Biden administration’s watch.
    Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Months after narrowly avoiding a national ban of the short-form video app, which boasts 170 million American users, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that negotiations to spin off TikTok’s U.S. operations are ongoing.
    Anisha Sircar, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 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
  • And fans deserve to know and understand the paths the Titans are pursuing in making these decisions.
    Nick Suss, The Tennessean, 30 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • At this level of analysis, a different suite of equations—the Euler and Navier-Stokes equations—accurately describe how fluids move and how their physical properties interrelate without recourse to particles at all.
    Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Property Picks This one-bedroom, one-bathroom, 39-square-meter studio suite is currently on the market for $600,000.
    Kathleen Peddicord, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Following.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/following. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

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