FOLLOWS Synonyms: 171 Similar and Opposite Words

follows

verb

present tense third-person singular of follow

as in replaces

to come after in time a wrap-up always follows the Super Bowl broadcast

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in pursues

to go after or on the track of let's follow the boys to their hiding place

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in obeys

to act according to the commands of follow me, and you'll do OK

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as in traverses

to make one's way through, across, or over followed the path into the garden

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as in notes

to take notice of and be guided by don't follow his advice

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in observes

to keep one's eyes on stood on the platform and followed the departing train until it disappeared from sight

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

winks
blinks

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of follows The 12-episode series – produced by Studio Dragon and released as a TVING original on CJ ENM‘s Korean streaming platform – follows Kang Seong-jae, played by Park Ji-hoon, a young man who joins the military to escape a difficult reality. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 Aug. 2026 White Pony ranks as the group’s second-longest-running effort with 40 frames somewhere on the tally, while Koi No Yokan follows with 15. — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 Eric Ramsdell—a Walmart tank trunk driver who took first place in his division—said the championship reflects a responsibility that follows drivers on the road. — Alice Barlow, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026 The move follows efforts by Pinterest and LinkedIn to respond to users’ frustrations with AI slop in their feeds. — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026 His service dog follows him everywhere, a constant and steadying presence for a man the Army sent to Iraq as a combat medic and who returned home forever changed by his service. — Vanessa Chism, Baltimore Sun, 23 Aug. 2026 The restraining order follows a Colorado court ruling on July 31 that granted athletes who began their collegiate careers in the 2022-23 season a fifth year of eligibility for the upcoming season. — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for follows

Verb

Tom Hart, who had called SEC Network prime time games, replaces Mark Jones alongside Roddy Jones.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026
What replaces it is a living decision layer—one that interprets signals, identifies moments that matter, recommends an action and learns from what happens next.

— Rahul Saluja, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of replaces

Verb

One brother pursues a young woman working in a parlour who is trying to break free of her home life, while the other sinks into drinking and despair as both men struggle to hold onto their dignity in the city’s rougher margins.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026
Around them, an aristocratic winemaker defines his legacy, a legendary maître d’hôtel seeks his heir, and a reverent wine critic pursues the sublime.

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of pursues

Verb

The human brain is a physical object, composed of biological material that obeys the laws that govern the rest of the universe, computers included.

— Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2026
Nietzsche says somewhere that the illusion of willpower rests on our tendency to identify with the part of our soul that commands, not the part that obeys.

— Meghan O’Gieblyn, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026

Definition of obeys

Verb

But the scenery becomes especially dramatic once the train reaches Colorado and traverses the unique landscapes of the West.

— Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026
The drive traverses the Bear River Mountains (a northern branch of the Wasatch), passing aspen groves, limestone cliffs, and the whitewater eddies of the Logan River along the way.

— Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of traverses

Verb

The remaining two jobs on the list are in renewable energy as AI adoption and related infrastructure, like data centers, drive a higher need for electricity, the release notes.

— Sarah Jackson, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
SonicMax notes that for typical start-stop cutting scenarios, the tool is estimated to provide 2 to 4 hours of use per charge depending on the material and power setting.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of notes

Verb

For instance, when Spain claimed the Philippines as a colony, the new territory's closest tie to its mother country lay in Acapulco, Mexico, which observes the prior calendar date to the rest of Asia.

— Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026
Lastly, Harford County Animal Control urges residents to notify them at 410-638-3505 if anyone observes a stray animal showing signs of excessive affection, aggression, lethargy, or disorientation.

— Michelle Richardson, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of observes

Verb

In the video, Hilton’s 3-year-old son Phoenix can be seen giggling as the puppy playfully chases him around the room while 2-year-old sister London looks on.

— Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
That’s one reason there are so many arguments over the value of a team, or an athlete, or sports more generally, as more and more money chases something essentially priceless—or misappropriated, depending on your view.

— Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026