A1verb 1K

Follow

🇬🇧 UK /["/ˈfɒləʊ/","/ˈfɒləʊz/","/ˈfɒləʊd/","/ˈfɒləʊɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 US /["/ˈfɑːləʊ/","/ˈfɑːləʊz/","/ˈfɑːləʊd/","/ˈfɑːləʊɪŋ/"]/

Meaning of Follow

to come or go after or behind somebody/something

In simple words: To go after someone or something or do what they do.

Follow in a sentence

• I will follow you to the store.
• He decided to follow his dreams and become an artist.
• Please follow the instructions carefully.
• The dog loves to follow its owner everywhere.
• She couldn't follow the movie plot because it was confusing.
• I have a lot of people who follow me on social media.
• As a leader, it's important to follow your values.
• He will follow the path through the forest to reach the lake.

How to use Follow

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.

Grammar pattern

follow + object

Memory hint

Think of a 'follower' behind a leader — they are always 'following' their path.

Related words

Collocations with Follow

• 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

Synonyms for Follow

• track
• pursue
• chase
• trail
• monitor

Opposites of Follow

• lead
• precede
• guide

Common mistakes with Follow

• 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'.

Frequently asked questions about Follow

What does Follow mean?

To go after someone or something or do what they do.

What is the definition of Follow?

to come or go after or behind somebody/something

How do you use Follow in a sentence?

I will follow you to the store.

Can you give another example of Follow?

He decided to follow his dreams and become an artist.

What are synonyms for Follow?

Common alternatives include track, pursue, chase, trail, monitor.

What is the opposite of Follow?

Opposite meanings include lead, precede, guide.

What words go with Follow?

It commonly pairs with 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.

What are common mistakes when using Follow?

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'.

How do you pronounce Follow?

US: /["/ˈfɑːləʊ/","/ˈfɑːləʊz/","/ˈfɑːləʊd/","/ˈfɑːləʊɪŋ/"]/, UK: /["/ˈfɒləʊ/","/ˈfɒləʊz/","/ˈfɒləʊd/","/ˈfɒləʊɪŋ/"]/. Listen to the audio above to hear native pronunciation.

When should I use Follow?

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.

What CEFR level is Follow?

"Follow" is at A1 level on the CEFR scale.