Cool MateFollow vs Hunt them down
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Follow
Top 1,000 (very common)A1verb
Hunt them down
InformalBeyond 10,000 (less common)
Most formal: FollowMost common: Follow
| Follow | Hunt them down | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈfɒləʊ/","/ˈfɒləʊz/","/ˈfɒləʊd/","/ˈfɒləʊɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈfɑːləʊ/","/ˈfɑːləʊz/","/ˈfɑːləʊd/","/ˈfɑːləʊɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //hʌnt ðɛm daʊn//🇺🇸 //hʌnt ðɛm daʊn// |
| Meaning | To go after someone or something or do what they do. | to chase or find someone or something |
| Example | I will follow you to the store. | The hunter decided to hunt them down after they escaped. |
| Register | Neutral | Informal |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | 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 | hunt someone down, hunt someone to the ends of the earth, hunt them down relentlessly |
| Antonyms | lead, precede, guide | let go, release, abandon |
| Common mistakes | 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'. | Confusing with 'search for' which is less aggressive., 'Hunt them down' is often misused when not talking about pursuing someone. |
| Usage notes | 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 in casual conversations, often in contexts like games or crime stories. Avoid in formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Follow vs Hunt them down
What's the difference between Follow and Hunt them down?
Follow: To go after someone or something or do what they do. Hunt them down: to chase or find someone or something
Which is more formal: Follow and Hunt them down?
Follow is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Follow and Hunt them down?
Follow is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Follow: I will follow you to the store. Hunt them down: The hunter decided to hunt them down after they escaped.
Can I use Follow and Hunt them down interchangeably?
Not always. Follow and Hunt them down 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.