Following vs Second

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Following

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 adjective

Second

Top 1,000 (very common)

	Following	Second
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ˈfɒləʊɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈfɑːləʊɪŋ/"]/	🇬🇧 //ˈsɛk.ənd// 🇺🇸 //ˈsɛk.ənd//
Meaning	To come after something or someone.	The number after one; a short time.
Example	Answer the following questions.	Please wait a second.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	A2	-
Part of speech	adjective
Collocations	following instructions, following someone, following a trend	wait a second, in a second, second chance
Antonyms	preceding, leading	first, prior
Common mistakes	Confused with 'preceeding' - using 'following' incorrectly to describe something that comes before., Using 'follow' instead of 'following' in adjective form.	'Second' is often confused with 'secondly' when listing items., Some learners mistakenly use 'second' instead of 'seconds' when counting time., Mispronounce as 'secone' instead of 'second'.
Usage notes	Use 'following' to indicate something that comes next in time or order. It's appropriate in various contexts, including writing and conversation, but avoid using it in overly casual settings when referring to people.	Use 'second' to indicate time or order. In informal contexts, it can mean agreement (e.g., 'I second that!').

See it in real clips

"Here's somebody who has the answer." I'll follow you anywhere, Mr Gump.

Sherlock › S1 E1

One of them could have been following him, but...

Succession › S1 E1

following a major medical incident...

"Here's somebody who has the answer." I'll follow you anywhere, Mr Gump.

Sherlock › S1 E1

One of them could have been following him, but...

Following

Six months the second level down, and the third level--

Succession › S1 E1

Let's have a second.

Top Gear › S1 E1

Not since the Germans and the Italians teamed up in the Second World War

Six months the second level down, and the third level--

Succession › S1 E1

Let's have a second.

Second

Frequently asked questions: Following vs Second

What's the difference between Following and Second?

Following: To come after something or someone. Second: The number after one; a short time.

Can you show an example of each?

Following: Answer the following questions. Second: Please wait a second.

Can I use Following and Second interchangeably?

Not always. Following and Second 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.