Meanings
present singular third person follows · participle present following · participle past followed · past followed · first person past singular followed · archaic present second person singular followest · past second person singular followed · archaic past second person singular followedst · present singular third person follows · archaic present singular third person followeth · past singular third person followed · past plural followed · past subjunctive followed · participle present following · participle past followed
- ambitransitiveTo go after; to pursue; to move behind in the same path or direction, especially with the intent of catching.
Follow that car!
3 more examples
She left the room and I followed.
I will follow him / Follow him, wherever he may go / There isn't an ocean too deep / A mountain so high it can keep me away
1963, “I Will Follow Him”, Norman Gimbel (lyrics), Franck Pourcel (music), performed by Peggy MarchAmbassador Udina: The other species are scared. They've never faced anything like this before and they don't know what to do. They want us to step forward. They believe in humanity because of you. Ambassador Udina: Your ruthless pursuit of Saren and the geth, your defiance of the Council -- that's what humans are capable of! That's how we can defeat the Reapers! Ambassador Udina: The others will follow us, Shepard. They know we're their only hope. We will have a human Council with a human Chairman.
2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Citadel - ambitransitiveTo go or come after in a sequence.
B follows A in the alphabet.
2 more examples
We both ordered the soup, with roast beef to follow.
Where a pon thys for sayd men dyd sett yᵉ prysse under yᵉ maner as here after follyzth: & Thomas Borrage yᵗ was tuthyng man at yᵉ tyme for iak Tymwell dyd gether yˢ mony yᵗ follyth & brosth hyt to yˢ for said men by causse yᵗ they schuld se every man content after their conssyens
Consequently, these aforesaid men set the prices in the manner that hereafter follows, and Thomas Borrage, who was tithingman at the time for Jack Tymwell, gathered this much that follows and brought it to these aforesaid men so they could have everyone content according to their conscience.
1532 June 23, Sir Christopher Trychay, quoting Will[ia]m Scely, The cownte of Willm Scely beyng Wardyng of yᵉ almys, Morebath; republished in R. Erskine Binney, B.A., compiler, The Accounts of the Wardens of the Parish of Morebath, Devon, 1520-1573, Exeter: James G. Commin, 1904, page 39Synonyms: succeed, come after, ensue, follow on, succeed · Antonyms: precede, antecede, come before, forego, precede
- transitiveTo carry out (orders, instructions, etc.).
Follow these instructions to the letter.
1 more example
The Celebrity, by arts unknown, induced Mrs. Judge Short and two other ladies to call at Mohair on a certain afternoon when Mr. Cooke was trying a trotter on the track.[…]Their example was followed by others at a time when the master of Mohair was superintending in person the docking of some two-year-olds, and equally invisible.
1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, pages 58–59Synonyms: pursue
- transitiveTo live one's life according to (religion, teachings, etc).
- transitiveTo understand, to pay attention to.
Do you follow me?
- transitiveTo watch, to keep track of (reports of) some event or person.
My friends don't regularly follow the news.
1 more example
I followed the incumbent throughout the election.
- transitiveTo be a supporter of (a sports team).
"Sometimes I wonder what you do take any notice of—except the whistle and short skirts," speculated his superior. "But no doubt ideas are germinating." "I follow Chelsea," maintained Horace.
1934, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], The Bravo of London - transitivesocial mediaTo subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform.
If you want to see more of our articles, follow us on Twitter.
Antonyms: unfollow
- ambitransitiveTo be a logical consequence of something.
If you don't practise proper hygiene, illness is sure to follow.
1 more example
It follows that if two numbers are not equal then one is larger than the other.
Synonyms: ensue
- transitiveTo walk in, as a road or course; to attend upon closely, as a profession or calling.
O had I but followed the Arts.
c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii], page 256, column 2
plural follows
- social mediaThe act of following another user's online activity.
It doesn't take too many follows to become overwhelmed with the deluge of content on Twitter.
2012, Brett Petersel, Esther Schindler, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Twitter Marketing1 more example
Social media is supervisual, and there's nothing more shareable than images, so this is a way to increase shares and likes and follows.
2016, Brooke Warner, Green-Light Your Book
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo go after; to pursue; to move behind in the same path or direction, especially with the intent of catching.
verbTo go or come after in a sequence.
verbTo carry out (orders, instructions, etc.).
verbTo subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform.
verbTo be a logical consequence of something.
More synonyms by meaning
verbact in accordance with someone's rules, commands, or wishes
verbchoose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans
verbfollow, discover, or ascertain the course of development of something
verbfollow with the eyes or the mind
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Germanic*fulgāną“to follow”
- Proto-West Germanic*folgēn
- Old Englishfolgian“to follow, pursue”
- Middle Englishfolwen
- Englishfollow
From Middle English folwen, folȝen, folgen, from Old English folgian (“to follow, pursue”), from Proto-West Germanic *folgēn, from Proto-Germanic *fulgāną (“to follow”).
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek ἕπομαι, ἀκολουθέω
- ἕπομαι (hépomai)to go or come after in physical space
- ἀκολουθέω (akolouthéō)to go or come after in physical space
- ἕπομαι (hépomai)to carry out in accordance to
- ἀκολουθέω (akolouthéō)to carry out in accordance to
- ἀκολουθέω (akolouthéō)to live one’s life according to
- ἕπομαι (hépomai)to be a logical consequence of
Arabic تَبِعَ, اِتَّبَعَ
- تَبِعَ (tabiʕa)to go or come after in physical space
- اِتَّبَعَ (ittabaʕa)to go or come after in physical space
- خَلَفَ (ḵalafa)to go or come after in a sequence
- تَلَا (talā)to go or come after in a sequence
- اِتَّبَعَ (ittabaʕa)to carry out in accordance to
- اِتَّبَعَ (ittabaʕa)to live one’s life according to
- تَابَعَ (tābaʕa)to keep track of
- تَتَبَّعَ (tatabbaʕa)to keep track of
- تَابَعَ (tābaʕa)to subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
Basque jarraitu
- jarraituto go or come after in physical space
Bulgarian следвам, следя́
- следвам (sledvam)to go or come after in physical space
- следя́ (sledjá)to go or come after in physical space
- следвам (sledvam)to go or come after in a sequence
- съблюдавам (săbljudavam)to carry out in accordance to
- следвам (sledvam)to carry out in accordance to
- сле́двам (slédvam)to live one’s life according to
- следя́ (sledjá)to understand
- следя́ (sledjá)to keep track of
- сле́двам (slédvam)to subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
- следвам (sledvam)to be a logical consequence of
- сле́дване (slédvane)the act of following another user's online activity
Catalan seguir, seguir
- seguirto go or come after in physical space
- seguirto go or come after in a sequence
- seguirto carry out in accordance to
- seguirto live one’s life according to
- seguirto understand
- seguirto be a logical consequence of
Chinese Cantonese 跟, 跟埋
- 跟 (gan¹)to go or come after in physical space
- 跟埋 (gan¹ maai⁴)to go or come after in physical space
Chinese Mandarin 隨 /随, 跟隨 /跟随
- 隨 /随 (suí)to go or come after in physical space
- 跟隨 /跟随 (gēnsuí)to go or come after in physical space
- 接續 /接续 (jiēxù)to go or come after in a sequence
- 接連 /接连 (jiēlián)to go or come after in a sequence
- 遵循 (zūnxún)to carry out in accordance to
- 关注 (guānzhù)to subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
- 是...的必然结果to be a logical consequence of
Czech sledovat, následovat
- sledovatto go or come after in physical space
- následovatto go or come after in a sequence
- řídit seto carry out in accordance to
- dodržetto carry out in accordance to
- plynoutto be a logical consequence of
- vyplývatto be a logical consequence of
- vyplynoutto be a logical consequence of
Danish følge, følge
- følgeto go or come after in physical space
- følgeto go or come after in a sequence
- efterfølgeto go or come after in a sequence
- følgeto carry out in accordance to
Dutch volgen, volgen
- volgento go or come after in physical space
- volgento live one’s life according to
- volgento understand
- volgento subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
- volgento be a logical consequence of
Esperanto sekvi
- sekvito go or come after in physical space
Estonian jälitama, järgnema
- jälitamato go or come after in physical space
- järgnemato go or come after in a sequence
- järgimato carry out in accordance to
- järgimato live one’s life according to
- aru saamato understand
- tulenemato be a logical consequence of
Finnish seurata, seurata
- seuratato go or come after in physical space
- seuratato go or come after in a sequence
- noudattaato carry out in accordance to
- noudattaato live one’s life according to
- pysyä mukanato understand
- pysyä kärryilläto understand
- seuratato keep track of
- tarkkaillato keep track of
- seuratato subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
- seuratato be a logical consequence of
French suivre, suivre
- suivreto go or come after in physical space
- suivreto go or come after in a sequence
- se plier àto live one’s life according to
- suivreto live one’s life according to
- suivreto understand
- suivreto keep track of
- suivreto subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
- s'abonnerto subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
- découlerto be a logical consequence of
German folgen, folgen
- folgento go or come after in physical space
- folgento go or come after in a sequence
- folgento carry out in accordance to
- folgento live one’s life according to
- verschreibento live one’s life according to
- befolgento live one’s life according to
- folgento understand
- followento subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
- folgento subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
- folgento be a logical consequence of
Greek ακολουθώ, επακολουθώ
- ακολουθώ (akolouthó)to go or come after in physical space
- επακολουθώ (epakolouthó)to go or come after in a sequence
- ακολουθώ (akolouthó)to carry out in accordance to
- επακολουθώ (epakolouthó)to be a logical consequence of
Hebrew עקב
- עקבto go or come after in physical space
Hindi पीछा करना
- पीछा करना (pīchā karnā)to go or come after in physical space
Hungarian követ, kísér
- követto go or come after in physical space
- kísérto go or come after in physical space
- követto go or come after in a sequence
- követto carry out in accordance to
- követto live one’s life according to
- követto understand
- követto keep track of
- követto subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
- következikto be a logical consequence of
Icelandic fylgja
- fylgjato go or come after in physical space
Italian seguire, seguire
- seguireto go or come after in physical space
- seguireto subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
Japanese 追う, 従う
- 追う (ou)to go or come after in physical space
- 従う (shitagau)to go or come after in physical space
- 相次ぐ (aitsugu)to go or come after in a sequence
- フォローする (forō suru)to subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
- フォロー (forō)the act of following another user's online activity
Korean 따르다, 팔로우하다
- 따르다 (ttareuda)to go or come after in physical space
- 팔로우하다 (pallouhada)to subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
- 팔로우 (pallou)the act of following another user's online activity
Latin sequor, sequor
- sequorto go or come after in physical space
- sequorto be a logical consequence of
Latvian sekot, sekot
- sekotto go or come after in physical space
- sekotto go or come after in a sequence
- sekotto keep track of
- sekotto be a logical consequence of
Lithuanian sekti
- sektito go or come after in physical space
Māori aruaru, whai
- aruaruto go or come after in physical space
- whaito go or come after in physical space
- whaiwhai pīhauto go or come after in physical space
- whakaekeeketo go or come after in a sequence
- aruaruto go or come after in a sequence
- whakaūto carry out in accordance to
- nā konāto be a logical consequence of
- nā koneito be a logical consequence of
- nō konāto be a logical consequence of
- nō reirato be a logical consequence of
- me te ahato be a logical consequence of
Norwegian følge
- følgeto go or come after in physical space
Persian دنبال کردن, بعد از چیزی آمدن
- دنبال کردن (donbâl kardan)to go or come after in physical space
- بعد از چیزی آمدن (ba'd az čizi âmadan)to go or come after in a sequence
- طبق چیزی عمل کردن (tebq-e čizi 'amal kardan)to carry out in accordance to
- پیروی کردن (peyravi kardan)to live one’s life according to
- حواس کسی به چیزی بودن (havâs-e kasi be čizi budan)to understand
- دنبال کردن (donbâl kardan)to keep track of
- تبعیت کردن (taba'iyyat kardan)to be a logical consequence of
- پیروی کردن (peyravi kardan)to be a logical consequence of
- متابعت کردن (motâbe'at kardan)to be a logical consequence of
Polish śledzić, iść za
- śledzićto go or come after in physical space
- iść zato go or come after in physical space
- pójść zato go or come after in physical space
- następowaćto go or come after in a sequence
- wykonaćto carry out in accordance to
- wyznawaćto live one’s life according to
- nadążaćto understand
- śledzićto keep track of
- wynikaćto be a logical consequence of
Portuguese seguir, seguir
- seguirto go or come after in physical space
- seguirto go or come after in a sequence
- seguirto carry out in accordance to
- seguirto live one’s life according to
- captarto understand
- acompanharto keep track of
- seguirto subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
- seguirto be a logical consequence of
Romanian urma, urmări
- urmato go or come after in physical space
- urmărito go or come after in physical space
- urmato go or come after in a sequence
- urmato carry out in accordance to
- urmato live one’s life according to
- urmărito keep track of
- urmărito subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
- reieșito be a logical consequence of
- rezultato be a logical consequence of
- urmato be a logical consequence of
Russian сле́довать, следи́ть
- сле́довать (slédovatʹ)to go or come after in physical space
- следи́ть (sledítʹ)to go or come after in physical space
- сле́довать (slédovatʹ)to go or come after in a sequence
- соблюда́ть (sobljudátʹ)to carry out in accordance to
- приде́рживаться (pridérživatʹsja)to carry out in accordance to
- сле́довать (slédovatʹ)to live one’s life according to
- соблюда́ть (sobljudátʹ)to live one’s life according to
- блюсти́ (bljustí)to live one’s life according to
- понима́ть (ponimátʹ)to understand
- следи́ть (sledítʹ)to keep track of
- подпи́сываться (podpísyvatʹsja)to subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
- подписа́ться (podpisátʹsja)to subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
- фолло́винг (follóving)the act of following another user's online activity
- подпи́ска (podpíska)the act of following another user's online activity
Scottish Gaelic lean, lean
- leanto go or come after in physical space
- leanto go or come after in a sequence
- leanto understand
- leanto be a logical consequence of
Spanish seguir, seguir
- seguirto go or come after in physical space
- seguirto go or come after in a sequence
- seguirto carry out in accordance to
Swahili kufuata
- kufuatato go or come after in physical space
Swedish följa, följa
- följato go or come after in physical space
- följato go or come after in a sequence
- följato carry out in accordance to
- följato live one’s life according to
- hänga medto understand
- förståto understand
- fattato understand
- hajato understand
- följato be a logical consequence of
Tagalog sumunod, sundin
- sumunodto go or come after in a sequence
- sundinto carry out in accordance to
- sundanto keep track of
- subaybayanto subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
Tamil பின்தொடர், தொடர்
- பின்தொடர் (piṉtoṭar)to go or come after in physical space
- தொடர் (toṭar)to go or come after in physical space
- தொடர் (toṭar)to go or come after in a sequence
- பின்தொடர் (piṉtoṭar)to carry out in accordance to
- பின்பற்று (piṉpaṟṟu)to carry out in accordance to
- பின்பற்று (piṉpaṟṟu)to live one’s life according to
- பின்தொடர் (piṉtoṭar)to live one’s life according to
- பின்தொடர் (piṉtoṭar)to subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
Thai ตาม, ทยอย
- ตาม (dtaam)to go or come after in physical space
- ทยอย (tá-yɔɔi)to go or come after in physical space
- ติดตาม (dtìt-dtaam)to keep track of
- ติดตาม (dtìt-dtaam)to subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
Turkish izlemek, takip etmek
- izlemekto go or come after in physical space
- takip etmekto go or come after in physical space
Ukrainian слі́дувати, сліди́ти
- слі́дувати (slíduvaty)to go or come after in physical space
- сліди́ти (slidýty)to go or come after in physical space
- слі́дувати (slíduvaty)to go or come after in a sequence
- дотри́муватися (dotrýmuvatysja)to carry out in accordance to
- дотри́муватися (dotrýmuvatysja)to live one’s life according to
- сте́жити (stéžyty)to keep track of
- слідкува́ти (slidkuváty)to keep track of
- підписатися (pidpysátys'ja)to subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
Urdu پیچھا کرنا
- پیچھا کرنا (pīchā karnā)to go or come after in physical space
Vietnamese theo, đi theo
- theoto go or come after in physical space
- đi theoto go or come after in physical space
- theo sauto go or come after in a sequence
- làm theoto carry out in accordance to
- theo dõito keep track of
- theo dõito subscribe to see content from an account on a social media platform
- kéo theoto be a logical consequence of
Welsh canlyn, dilyn
- canlynto go or come after in physical space
- dilynto go or come after in physical space
- olhauto go or come after in physical space
Yiddish נאָכגיין
- נאָכגיין (nokhgeyn)to go or come after in physical space
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with follow
All rhymes →Cite this entry
follow. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/follow
“follow.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/follow. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “follow,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/follow.
Source: follow on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.