follow
noun
1. (sometimes attributive) In billiards and similar games, a stroke causing a ball to follow another ball after hitting it.
- a follow shot
verb
1. to travel behind, go after, come after
- The ducklings followed their mother around the pond
- Please follow the guide through the museum
Definition categories: motion, go, locomote, move, travel
2. be later in time
- Tuesday always follows Monday
Similar word(s): postdate
Definition categories: stative
3. come as a logical consequence; follow logically
- It follows that your assertion is false
Definition categories: stative, ensue, result
4. travel along a certain course
- follow the road
- follow the trail
Definition categories: motion, go, locomote, move, travel
5. act in accordance with someone's rules, commands, or wishes
- Follow these simple rules
Similar word(s): comply
Definition categories: social, obey
6. come after in time, as a result
- A terrible tsunami followed the earthquake
Definition categories: stative, ensue, result
7. behave in accordance or in agreement with
- Follow a pattern
- Follow my example
Definition categories: change, copy, imitate, simulate
8. be next
- Mary plays best, with John and Sue following
Definition categories: stative, be
9. choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans
- She followed the feminist movement
Similar word(s): adopt, espouse
Definition categories: possession, choose, select, take
10. to bring something about at a later time than
- She followed dinner with a brandy
- He followed his lecture with a question and answer period
Definition categories: stative
11. imitate in behavior; take as a model
- Teenagers follow their friends in everything
Definition categories: creation, copy, imitate, simulate
12. follow, discover, or ascertain the course of development of something
- We must follow closely the economic development is Cuba
Similar word(s): trace
Definition categories: cognition, analyse, analyze, canvass, examine, study
13. follow with the eyes or the mind
- She followed the men with the binoculars
Similar word(s): observe, watch
Definition categories: social, check
14. be the successor (of)
- Carter followed Ford
Similar word(s): succeed
Definition categories: social
15. perform an accompaniment to
- The orchestra could barely follow the frequent pitch changes of the soprano
Similar word(s): accompany
Definition categories: creation, play
16. keep informed
Definition categories: change
17. to be the product or result
Similar word(s): come
Definition categories: stative, arise, develop, grow, originate, rise, uprise
18. accept and follow the leadership or command or guidance of
- Let's follow our great helmsman!
- She followed a guru for years
Definition categories: social, act, behave, do
19. adhere to or practice
- These people still follow the laws of their ancient religion
Definition categories: social, apply, practice, use
20. work in a specific place, with a specific subject, or in a specific function
Similar word(s): be
Definition categories: social
21. keep under surveillance
- The police had been following him for weeks but they could not prove his involvement in the bombing
Similar word(s): surveil, survey
Definition categories: perception
22. follow in or as if in pursuit
- Her bad deed followed her and haunted her dreams all her life
Similar word(s): pursue
Definition categories: motion, go, locomote, move, travel
23. grasp the meaning
- Can you follow her argument?
- When he lectures, I cannot follow
Definition categories: cognition, understand
24. keep to
Definition categories: change, persevere, persist
Sentences with follow as a verb:
- Follow that car!
- B follows A in the alphabet.
- We both ordered the soup, with roast beef to follow.
- Follow these instructions to the letter.
- Do you follow me?
- I followed the incumbent throughout the election.
- It follows that if two numbers are not equal then one is larger than the other.