following 1 of 4

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

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

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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Examples 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
Morgan appeared with her husband in a following photo as the pair sat together on a couch in what appeared to be their living room with baby Cleo fast asleep on her dad’s lap. Escher Walcott, People.com, 7 Oct. 2024 As his following grows, Allen also has been more open with his audience about his life. Felecia Wellington Radel, USA TODAY, 1 Oct. 2024
Noun
The many cool YouTubers behind Nebula grew their following with videos that entertained and informed viewers. PCMAG, 7 Jan. 2025 The sudden glut of coins forced creators to come up with ways to differentiate their projects, sometimes going to elaborate and sometimes dangerous lengths to attract attention to their coins and compete with celebrities’ large online followings. Joel Khalili, WIRED, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
Johnson was originally hired to his position in 2022, following three seasons as a lower-level assistant on the Lions’ staff. Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 6 Jan. 2025 The snow is supposed to end by Tuesday afternoon, and temperatures in the mid-Atlantic region will rise above freezing following a days-long cold snap. Alison Durkee, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for following 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for following
Adjective
  • Dangerous fire conditions are expected to return next week, the National Weather Service warned.
    Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 17 Jan. 2025
  • Golden State would be trading for the potential of Williamson and his ability to help elevate them over the next few years with Curry on the roster.
    Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • According to Xzibit, the gunman — a member of Terror Squad’s entourage — discarded the firearm.
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 6 Jan. 2025
  • Trump led his entourage out of the courtroom, huddled for a moment with his lawyers, and then turned to address the cameras awaiting his reaction.
    Graham Kates, CBS News, 3 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Poaching, deforestation and the threat of extinction that jaguars face are real and important concerns all audiences — especially children — should learn and care about.
    Tomris Laffly, Variety, 17 Jan. 2025
  • The reference 3800 is the second execution, which brought a new, smaller size to the table in an effort to reach a broader audience.
    Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 17 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Despite the challenges, the young actor refused to give up or slow down in his pursuit of professional growth.
    J.M. Banks, Kansas City Star, 17 Jan. 2025
  • That’s due in large part to its natural beauty—towering mountains, awe-inspiring canyons, and rushing waters inspire hiking, biking, fly-fishing and a number of other outdoor pursuits.
    Amelia Mularz, Architectural Digest, 17 Jan. 2025
Preposition
  • Leonard looked a bit wobbly after taking a hit while throwing an incomplete pass.
    NBC News, NBC News, 10 Jan. 2025
  • In January 2024, three months after completing the $75.4 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition, Microsoft’s gaming unit shed 1,900 jobs to reduce overlap.
    Jordan Novet, CNBC, 9 Jan. 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
  • Countries in Africa and the Americas are pursuing an end to river blindness by 2035.
    Sam Mednick, Chicago Tribune, 30 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Stadiums and arenas are placing less of an emphasis on traditional luxury suites and carving up their spaces into a broader array of premium seating experiences, each of which can carry a sponsor’s name.
    Justin Birnbaum, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
  • The program, which came with a 26-book handbook, filled a compact schedule led by a suite of USC Annenberg’s journalism professors.
    Melanie Anzidei, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near following

Cite this Entry

“Following.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/following. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on following

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!