Cool MateAbide vs Follow vs Observe vs Submit vs Uphold
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Abide
FormalTop 5,000 (fairly common)C2verb
Follow
Top 1,000 (very common)A1verb
Observe
Top 1,000 (very common)B2verb
Submit
Top 2,000 (common)B2verb
Uphold
Top 2,000 (common)C1verb
Most formal: Abide
| Abide | Follow | Observe | Submit | Uphold | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //əˈbaɪd//🇺🇸 //əˈbaɪd// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈfɒləʊ/","/ˈfɒləʊz/","/ˈfɒləʊd/","/ˈfɒləʊɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈfɑːləʊ/","/ˈfɑːləʊz/","/ˈfɑːləʊd/","/ˈfɑːləʊɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/əbˈzɜːv/","/əbˈzɜːvz/","/əbˈzɜːvd/","/əbˈzɜːvɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/əbˈzɜːrv/","/əbˈzɜːrvz/","/əbˈzɜːrvd/","/əbˈzɜːrvɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/səbˈmɪt/","/səbˈmɪts/","/səbˈmɪtɪd/","/səbˈmɪtɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/səbˈmɪt/","/səbˈmɪts/","/səbˈmɪtɪd/","/səbˈmɪtɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ʌpˈhəʊld/","/ʌpˈhəʊldz/","/ʌpˈheld/","/ʌpˈhəʊldɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ʌpˈhəʊld/","/ʌpˈhəʊldz/","/ʌpˈheld/","/ʌpˈhəʊldɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | To accept or follow a rule or decision. | To go after someone or something or do what they do. | to watch something carefully | To give something for someone to look at or decide on. | To support or maintain something. |
| Example | You must abide by the regulations in this agreement. | I will follow you to the store. | Please observe the changes in the experiment carefully. | Please submit your application before the deadline. | We have a duty to uphold the law. |
| Register | Formal | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 5,000 (fairly common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | C2 | A1 | B2 | B2 | C1 |
| Part of speech | verb | verb | verb | verb | verb |
| Collocations | abide by the rules, abide by the decision, abide by the law | closely, reluctantly, dutifully, beckon somebody to, beckon to somebody to, being followed, follow close behind (somebody), follow right behind (somebody), closely, quickly, shortly, (be) followed by something, follow in the wake of something, closely, quickly, shortly, (be) followed by something, follow in the wake of something, carefully, to the letter, dutifully, faithfully, blindly, slavishly, be expected to, be likely to, follow in somebody’s footsteps, follow in the tradition of somebody/something, follow suit, not necessarily, logically, naturally, (on) from, not quite, be easy to, be difficult to, be hard to | carefully, closely, precisely, be able to, be possible to, be difficult to, among, for, from, be commonly observed, be frequently observed, be widely observed, carefully, closely, precisely, be able to, be possible to, be difficult to, among, for, from, be commonly observed, be frequently observed, be widely observed, astutely, correctly, keenly, to, correctly, faithfully, scrupulously, fail to, failure to observe something | formally, respectfully, humbly, ask somebody to, invite somebody to, require somebody to, for, to, voluntarily, willingly, meekly, refuse to, agree to, be prepared to, to | consistently, firmly, rigorously, have a duty to, be determined to, seek to, consistently, firmly, rigorously, have a duty to, be determined to, seek to |
| Antonyms | disobey, ignore, reject | lead, precede, guide | ignore, neglect, overlook | withdraw, cancel | disregard, abandon, violate |
| Common mistakes | Confusing with 'abandon'., Using it incorrectly with nouns instead of actions., Mixing up past forms; 'abode' is archaic. | Confusing 'follow' with 'lead' — they have opposite meanings., Using 'follow' without an object (e.g., 'I will follow' should specify who or what)., Mistakenly using 'follows' in the past tense instead of 'followed'. | Confuse with 'abserve' which is not a word., Use 'observed' incorrectly with non-actions, like 'observed the chair'., Forget the preposition when used with 'something' as in 'observe at the sky' instead of 'observe the sky'. | Confusing 'submit' with 'send' - 'Submit' often implies a formal process., Using 'submit' without a clear object., Overusing 'submit' instead of simpler verbs like 'give' or 'hand in' in informal scenarios. | Confused with 'support' which can be more casual., Using it incorrectly in passive voice, e.g. 'The law is upheld by.', Mixing up the past tense; 'upholded' is incorrect. |
| Usage notes | Commonly used in legal or formal contexts. Less frequent in everyday conversation. Often paired with 'by' when referring to rules. | Use 'follow' when discussing tracking someone physically or conceptually (like ideas or trends). For social media, 'follow' often describes subscribing to someone's updates. Avoid using it in overly formal contexts. | Use 'observe' when you are watching something closely or carefully. It is a neutral term suitable for both formal and informal contexts, but it may not be suitable for casual conversations where simpler words like 'watch' may work better. | Used in formal and neutral contexts, such as in applications or proposals. Avoid using ‘submit’ in very casual conversations. | Often used in legal and ethical contexts, such as 'upholding the law' or 'upholding values'. It's appropriate in both formal and neutral settings but less common in casual conversations. |
Frequently asked questions: Abide vs Follow vs Observe vs Submit vs Uphold
What's the difference between Abide, Follow, Observe, Submit, and Uphold?
Abide: To accept or follow a rule or decision. Follow: To go after someone or something or do what they do. Observe: to watch something carefully Submit: To give something for someone to look at or decide on. Uphold: To support or maintain something.
Which is more formal: Abide, Follow, Observe, Submit, and Uphold?
Abide is the most formal of these.
Which is more advanced: Abide, Follow, Observe, Submit, and Uphold?
Abide is the highest level, at C2, on the CEFR scale.
Are Abide, Follow, Observe, Submit, and Uphold the same CEFR level?
Abide: C2, Follow: A1, Observe: B2, Submit: B2, Uphold: C1 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Abide, Follow, Observe, Submit, and Uphold?
Abide: verb, Follow: verb, Observe: verb, Submit: verb, Uphold: verb.
Can you show an example of each?
Abide: You must abide by the regulations in this agreement. Follow: I will follow you to the store. Observe: Please observe the changes in the experiment carefully. Submit: Please submit your application before the deadline. Uphold: We have a duty to uphold the law.
Can I use Abide, Follow, Observe, Submit, and Uphold interchangeably?
Not always. Abide, Follow, Observe, Submit, and Uphold are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.