Synonyms of follow

follow 1 of 2

verb (1)

ˈfä-(ˌ)lō 

1

as in to succeed

to come after in time

a wrap-up always follows the Super Bowl broadcast

Synonyms & Similar Words

• succeed
• replace
• supersede
• supervene
• postdate
• supplant
• ensue
• displace

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• precede
• predate
• antedate

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

• pursue
• chase
• track
• accompany
• course
• trace
• escort
• trail
• watch
• dog
• tag
• tail
• run
• run after
• hound
• seek
• shadow
• observe
• hunt
• bird-dog
• eye
• search (for)
• chaperon
• chaperone

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• lead
• guide
• pilot
• head

3

as in to obey

to act according to the commands of

follow me, and you'll do OK

Synonyms & Similar Words

• obey
• observe
• conform (to)
• comply (with)
• adhere (to)
• abide by
• mind
• keep to
• fall in with
• hear
• watch
• goose-step (to)
• take
• submit (to)
• regard
• yield (to)
• surrender (to)
• heed
• agree (to)
• notice
• defer (to)
• accede (to)
• attend
• acquiesce (to)
• assent (to)
• listen (to)
• note
• mark

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• defy
• disobey
• lead
• dare
• refuse
• challenge
• ignore
• direct
• renounce
• disregard
• rebel (against)
• repudiate
• dismiss
• violate
• overlook
• pass over
• break
• brush (off)
• transgress
• disoblige
• infringe
• oppose
• flout
• resist
• fight
• breach
• wink (at)
• deride
• mock
• pooh
• withstand
• tune out
• scoff (at)
• scorn
• revolt (against)
• contest
• shrug off
• combat
• dispute
• overpass
• buck
• pooh-pooh
• mutiny (against)

4

as in to traverse

to make one's way through, across, or over

followed the path into the garden

Synonyms & Similar Words

• traverse
• cross
• navigate
• walk
• travel
• track
• course
• cover
• pass (over)
• go
• cut (across)
• proceed (along)
• ride
• transit
• tread
• hike
• perambulate
• peregrinate
• run
• traipse
• tramp
• crisscross

5

as in to note

to take notice of and be guided by

don't follow his advice

Synonyms & Similar Words

• note
• obey
• observe
• heed
• regard
• watch
• consider
• listen (to)
• respect
• mind
• keep
• hear
• see
• contemplate
• weigh
• notice
• ponder
• conform (to)
• comply (with)
• attend (to)
• mull
• mark
• hearken (to)
• hark (to)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignore
• disregard
• dismiss
• tune out
• pass over
• neglect
• defy
• brush (aside or off)
• scorn
• gloss (over)
• flout
• discount
• shrug off
• pooh
• slight
• pooh-pooh
• gloze (over)
• snub

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• observe
• watch
• eye
• see
• look
• view
• stare
• perceive
• have one's eye on
• monitor
• look on
• regard
• gaze
• guard
• wake
• gawk
• study
• peer
• behold
• gape
• glimpse
• ward
• peep
• spy
• rubberneck
• peek
• glare
• bird-dog
• goggle
• espy
• glance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• blink
• wink

follows

2 of 2

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of follow

1

as in replaces

to come after in time

a wrap-up always follows the Super Bowl broadcast

Synonyms & Similar Words

• replaces
• succeeds
• supersedes
• supervenes
• ensues
• supplants
• postdates
• displaces

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• precedes
• predates
• antedates

2

as in pursues

to go after or on the track of

let's follow the boys to their hiding place

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pursues
• chases
• tracks
• accompanies
• traces
• escorts
• runs after
• courses
• trails
• runs
• shadows
• tails
• tags
• dogs
• watches
• seeks
• hounds
• bird-dogs
• observes
• hunts
• eyes
• searches (for)
• chaperons
• chaperones

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• leads
• guides
• pilots
• heads

3

as in obeys

to act according to the commands of

follow me, and you'll do OK

Synonyms & Similar Words

• obeys
• observes
• conforms (to)
• adheres (to)
• complies (with)
• keeps to
• falls in with
• minds
• hears
• abides by
• goose-steps (to)
• takes
• submits (to)
• yields (to)
• regards
• surrenders (to)
• watches
• defers (to)
• notices
• agrees (to)
• heeds
• assents (to)
• accedes (to)
• attends
• notes
• marks
• acquiesces (to)
• listens (to)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• defies
• leads
• disobeys
• rebels (against)
• directs
• refuses
• ignores
• dares
• challenges
• renounces
• repudiates
• disregards
• violates
• dismisses
• overlooks
• passes over
• breaks
• transgresses
• brushes (off)
• mocks
• infringes
• opposes
• shrugs off
• disobliges
• flouts
• derides
• scorns
• winks (at)
• resists
• breaches
• withstands
• tunes out
• scoffs (at)
• fights
• disputes
• combats
• poohs
• pooh-poohs
• revolts (against)
• contests
• overpasses
• bucks
• mutinies (against)

4

as in traverses

to make one's way through, across, or over

followed the path into the garden

Synonyms & Similar Words

• traverses
• crosses
• navigates
• walks
• travels
• covers
• tracks
• goes
• passes (over)
• courses
• proceeds (along)
• cuts (across)
• rides
• treads
• hikes
• perambulates
• peregrinates
• transits
• runs
• traipses
• tramps
• crisscrosses

5

as in notes

to take notice of and be guided by

don't follow his advice

Synonyms & Similar Words

• notes
• obeys
• observes
• considers
• regards
• respects
• listens (to)
• watches
• heeds
• contemplates
• keeps
• hears
• minds
• sees
• weighs
• notices
• ponders
• conforms (to)
• complies (with)
• mulls
• attends (to)
• marks
• hearkens (to)
• harks (to)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignores
• disregards
• dismisses
• neglects
• passes over
• scorns
• defies
• discounts
• shrugs off
• glosses (over)
• brushes (aside or off)
• flouts
• tunes out
• poohs
• pooh-poohs
• glozes (over)
• snubs
• slights

6

as in observes

to keep one's eyes on

stood on the platform and followed the departing train until it disappeared from sight

Synonyms & Similar Words

• observes
• watches
• eyes
• sees
• looks
• stares
• perceives
• has one's eye on
• beholds
• views
• regards
• looks on
• gazes
• wakes
• peers
• monitors
• gapes
• guards
• glares
• gawks
• studies
• espies
• goggles
• spies
• wards
• peeks
• glimpses
• rubbernecks
• bird-dogs
• peeps
• glances

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• winks
• blinks

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of follow

Verb

What followed was a proper introduction to Clairo, highlighting her support of Gaza and women’s rights. —Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 13 Apr. 2025

Swim in a direction following the shoreline. —Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 13 Apr. 2025

Verb

This agreement follows similar contracts reached with Hyatt workers on Friday and Marriott workers last Thursday, covering a total of 2,500 workers who had been on strike since late September. —Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 25 Dec. 2024

Growth shows little sign of slowing as a global product, but the cycle that follows 2028-29 will present new opportunities. —Philip Buckingham, The Athletic, 25 Dec. 2024

Phrases Containing follow

• follow through (with)
• follow up