Synonyms of following

following 1 of 4

adjective

ˈfä-lə-wiŋ 

as in next

being the one that comes immediately after another

the following morning, I found the cat was gone

Synonyms & Similar Words

• next
• ensuing
• coming
• second
• succeeding
• subsequent
• on deck
• successive
• consecutive
• sequential
• posterior
• immediate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• previous
• prior
• foregoing
• precedent
• former
• preceding
• past
• last
• antecedent
• anterior

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

• entourage
• suite
• crew
• staff
• posse
• personnel
• train
• tail
• retinue
• cortege
• court
• assistant
• helper
• attendant
• retainer

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

• audience
• cult
• followership
• discipleship
• fandom

3

as in pursuit

the act of going after or in the tracks of another

took part in the following of the coyote

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pursuit
• tracking
• tracing
• search
• trailing
• pursuing
• chasing
• tailing
• tagging
• shadowing
• chase
• hounding
• dogging
• hot pursuit
• trail
• track
• path
• seeking
• tagging along

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

• after
• behind
• below
• past
• since
• après
• next to

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• of
• before
• prior to
• previous to
• to
• ahead of
• toward
• afore
• ere

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

• succeeding
• replacing
• superseding
• ensuing
• supervening
• postdating
• supplanting
• displacing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• preceding
• antedating
• predating

2

as in pursuing

to go after or on the track of

let's follow the boys to their hiding place

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pursuing
• chasing
• tracking
• accompanying
• tracing
• escorting
• trailing
• tagging
• tailing
• running after
• hounding
• shadowing
• watching
• dogging
• coursing
• running
• seeking
• hunting
• bird-dogging
• observing
• searching (for)
• eyeing
• chaperoning

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• leading
• guiding
• heading
• piloting

3

as in obeying

to act according to the commands of

follow me, and you'll do OK

Synonyms & Similar Words

• obeying
• observing
• conforming (to)
• adhering (to)
• complying (with)
• keeping to
• regarding
• abiding by
• hearing
• goose-stepping (to)
• falling in with
• watching
• minding
• submitting (to)
• yielding (to)
• surrendering (to)
• taking
• deferring (to)
• attending
• agreeing (to)
• noticing
• acceding (to)
• heeding
• listening (to)
• noting
• assenting (to)
• marking
• acquiescing (to)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• defying
• leading
• disobeying
• challenging
• refusing
• daring
• directing
• rebelling (against)
• ignoring
• renouncing
• repudiating
• disregarding
• dismissing
• passing over
• brushing (off)
• violating
• overlooking
• breaking
• winking (at)
• tuning out
• disobliging
• opposing
• mocking
• breaching
• fighting
• shrugging off
• infringing
• resisting
• transgressing
• deriding
• flouting
• contesting
• withstanding
• combating
• scorning
• scoffing (at)
• bucking
• disputing
• overpassing
• revolting (against)
• pooh-poohing
• mutinying (against)

4

as in traversing

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

followed the path into the garden

Synonyms & Similar Words

• traversing
• crossing
• navigating
• walking
• covering
• traveling
• tracking
• passing (over)
• cutting (across)
• proceeding (along)
• riding
• transiting
• hiking
• going
• coursing
• peregrinating
• perambulating
• treading
• running
• tramping
• traipsing
• crisscrossing

5

as in noting

to take notice of and be guided by

don't follow his advice

Synonyms & Similar Words

• noting
• regarding
• obeying
• observing
• considering
• listening (to)
• respecting
• watching
• heeding
• hearing
• contemplating
• keeping
• weighing
• pondering
• seeing
• conforming (to)
• noticing
• mulling
• complying (with)
• attending (to)
• minding
• marking
• hearkening (to)
• harking (to)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignoring
• disregarding
• dismissing
• neglecting
• tuning out
• passing over
• discounting
• brushing (aside or off)
• glossing (over)
• scorning
• defying
• shrugging off
• flouting
• pooh-poohing
• glozing (over)
• snubbing
• slighting

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

• watching
• observing
• eyeing
• viewing
• regarding
• looking
• seeing
• staring
• having one's eye on
• monitoring
• studying
• gazing
• beholding
• goggling
• glaring
• perceiving
• looking on
• waking
• peering
• gaping
• gawking
• guarding
• warding
• spying
• rubbernecking
• glimpsing
• peeping
• glancing
• peeking
• espying
• bird-dogging

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• winking
• blinking

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of following

Adjective

Maintain a greater following distance in freeway traffic, slow down before intersections, be cautious on left turns, watch for pedestrians and cyclists before accelerating, avoid aggressive driving and respect higher rural speeds outside city centers. —Gretchen Wittenmyer-Stone, Sacbee.com, 21 Apr. 2026

Adhere to the two-second rule for maintaining a safe following distance behind the vehicle in front of you. —Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2026

Noun

Meanwhile, his TikTok following grew exponentially, from 10 people to more than 23,000 in the space of a year, his mother said. —Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 28 May 2026

More practically, this could look like mastering social media, building a following via a newsletter, gaining PR expertise or running in-person events. —Benjamin Todd, CNBC, 27 May 2026

Preposition

Campbell appeared emotional following Wednesday’s hearing. —Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026

New York City's LaGuardia Airport reopened Monday following Sunday night's runway crash. —Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026

Verb

The program remains in development and has faced schedule delays, but the Air Force continues to prioritize it following the struggles of earlier hypersonic projects. —Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 31 May 2026

Pablo López is out for the season following elbow surgery, and Mick Abel went on the IL in April with right elbow inflammation. —CBS News, 31 May 2026