follow

To move behind someone or something, going in the same direction.

• Follow me to the kitchen.
• The dog followed its owner home.
• We followed the path through the woods.

Similar words: go after, trail

Opposites: lead

Common phrases: follow someone, follow a path, follow behind someone, follow that car

To do what instructions, rules, or advice tell you to do.

• Please follow the instructions.
• She followed the recipe exactly.
• Did you follow your doctor’s advice?

Similar words: obey, comply with

Opposites: disobey

Common phrases: follow instructions, follow the rules, follow someone’s advice

To happen or come after something else in time or order.

• Dinner follows the meeting.
• A short break followed the first lesson.
• What follows this chapter?

How to use it: be followed by something (The talk was followed by a short discussion.)

Similar words: come after, succeed

Opposites: precede

Common phrases: follow something, follow shortly, follow a meeting

A billiards shot that makes your ball keep moving forward after it hits another ball.

• Use follow on this shot.
• Too much follow sent the cue ball into a pocket.
• She added follow to keep the ball moving forward.

Similar words: topspin

Opposites: draw

Common phrases: follow shot, apply follow, use follow