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 move, Waller will be signing a one-year deal with Miami worth $5 million. Kevin McCormick, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025 Cassie also appeared with her baby bump in a following close-up shot as Fine’s hands cradled her stomach. Kayla Grant, People.com, 28 May 2025
Noun
Daring, dangerous, cutout silhouettes are a signature of sorts for the designer, whose knack for cool and modern styles has culled a strong following. Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2025 Erika Kirk has a following in her own right. Dave Smith, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, the government department revealed how the children were doing following years of hiding in the wilderness. Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025 At the WellChild Awards in London on Monday, May 8, Harry, 40, chatted with 13-year-old Grace Tutt, a Special Recognition winner who uses a wheelchair following a bus crash. Erin Hill, People.com, 9 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for following
Recent Examples of Synonyms for following
Adjective
  • Under the new Fish and Wildlife interim pintail harvest strategy, hunters in all four flyways are expected to have a three-pintail daily bag limit option for next year's 2026–'27 season based on this year's breeding population results.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Both Delta and Aeromexico said in separate statements that the carriers were disappointed by the department's decision and were reviewing the order before considering next steps.
    Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • From one side, draped in a dark-blue robe and flanked by an entourage in matching work shirts, Joe Frazier walked slowly through the crowd, stern and granite-jawed.
    Vann R. Newkirk II, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
  • The 61-year-old reportedly arrived with a small entourage, wearing a mustard-yellow tweed two-piece, paired with gray sneakers and a Gucci tote bag.
    Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • He was known for his controversial political and social takes related to race, gun violence and immigration, and had an audience of millions of viewers and listeners across various platforms.
    Connor Greene, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Newsweek's Health Care Editor Alexis Kayser led many of the panel discussions and was joined by Newsweek's Global Head of Research Duncan Ross on stage to share the key takeaways about the key lessons that audience members can implement in their own workplaces.
    Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • But the broader debate—the question of when, exactly, the pursuit of athletic achievement compromises the bulk of the achievement itself—has begun to reverberate far beyond the mountains.
    Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 20 Sep. 2025
  • Despite her own entrepreneurial pursuits, her advice to young women has centered around prioritizing homemaking.
    Rachel Treisman, NPR, 19 Sep. 2025
Preposition
  • Notable Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase revealed that she was fined by the league after her comments regarding Game 1’s officiating.
    Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 17 Sep. 2025
  • With the lead gone after that, the bats grew even quieter.
    Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Greg Hessinger, a former Screen Actors Guild executive, was named president in March, succeeding longtime leader Carol Lombardini.
    Gene Maddaus, Variety, 21 Sep. 2025
  • Bellotti joined Jil Sander, under the OTB umbrella, from Bally in March, succeeding Luke and Lucie Meier.
    Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • While pursuing these major projects, Italy’s rail network has another 40 strategic projects in the works, many funded with 25 billion euros (nearly $30 billion) in European Union pandemic recovery funds.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Comer also emphasized that the committee is pursuing Treasury Department materials, including suspicious activity reports and bank records, and will soon receive unredacted logs from the Epstein estate.
    Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • It was intended simply to verify that a nonviolent offender was obeying curfew hours.
    Robert S. Gable, IEEE Spectrum, 20 July 2017

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Cite this Entry

“Following.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/following. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.

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