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

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
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
Scuba Oversized Funnel-neck Half Zip Velvet $148 $84 at Lululemon Part of Lululemon’s signature Scuba Collection, this funnel-neck half zip has a huge following despite being a relatively new drop. Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2025 At first, the page had a modest following of a few hundred members. Brian M. Sloan, NBC News, 9 Feb. 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
  • On the Senate side, Kentucky Republican Mitch McConnell did make way for South Dakota’s John Thune to become the next Republican Majority Leader.
    Savannah Kuchar, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025
  • Check out the others here: Nashville's next move: Dickerson Pike illustrates how city's transit push could work As Nashville votes on a transit tax, will choice lanes help ease interstate traffic? Nashville’s transit vote would raise the sales tax.
    Duane W. Gang, The Tennessean, 10 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The charges were based on an argument that the entourage of managers and aides who helped Kelly meet girls — and keep them obedient and quiet — amounted to a criminal enterprise.
    Edward Segarra, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025
  • The most famous – Joe Montana , Emmitt Smith , Drew Brees – have small entourages around them.
    Alex Sherman, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Just before the actress' appearance on the broadcast, Kevin Hart and Paul Rudd were shown in the audience.
    Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025
  • Lamar delivered a Super Bowl performance wholly unlike any other before it, in which the aim was not to summon nostalgia or comfort but to demand full attention and active listening from his audience.
    Andrew R. Chow, TIME, 10 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Today the modern equivalents of gambier—such as palm oil and timber plantations—and the relentless pursuit of profit means some areas are continuing to experience deforestation at the highest rates in the world.
    Smithsonian Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Feb. 2025
  • Robert Kraft bought the Patriots for $172 million in 1994, but Lurie didn’t give up his pursuit of an NFL franchise.
    Justin Birnbaum, Forbes, 7 Feb. 2025
Preposition
  • One is accused of killing her boyfriend after a drunken spat.
    Michael Ruiz, Fox News, 14 Feb. 2025
  • Rumors of Kelce's potential retirement sparked soon after last Sunday's game ended with the Chief's tough 40-22 loss to the Eagles.
    Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 14 Feb. 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
  • With such an unstable organization, this could dissuade Vrabel from pursuing a head-coaching gig with New York.
    George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Francis has complained of breathing trouble and was diagnosed with bronchitis Feb. 6, but had continued to hold daily audiences in his Vatican hotel suite.
    Nicole Winfield, Chicago Tribune, 14 Feb. 2025
  • Today that’s part of its Creative Cloud applications suite and, according to the company, has produced over 18 billion assets.
    Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near following

Cite this Entry

“Following.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/following. Accessed 23 Feb. 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!