following

following — preposition

1. happening after a particular event or time; used to say that one thing comes lat

1.prepositionB1
Definition

happening after a particular event or time; used to say that one thing comes later than another thing

Example

Following the earthquake, the government sent food and tents to the damaged areas.

prepositional phrase: following + noun (event)

The athletes held a press conference following their victory at the tournament.

Synonyms
  • after

    more common in everyday speech; less formal sounding than 'following'

  • subsequent to

    very formal; used mainly in legal or academic writing

Antonyms
  • before

    indicates something happens earlier in time

Grammar Patterns

following + noun phrase (event or time period)

Usage Note

This prepositional use is more common in formal writing and news reports than in everyday conversation. In casual speech, 'after' is usually preferred.

Common Mistakes

Following the party, we clean the kitchen.
Following the party, we cleaned the kitchen.
When 'following' refers to the past, the main verb should also be in the past tense.
Following we ate dinner.
Following the meal, we ate dinner.
'Following' as a preposition must be followed by a noun phrase, not a clause.

following — adjective

following — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

'Following' (noun/2) refers to a group of people who admire someone and take an interest in their work — it is singular and often modified by an adjective ('a loyal following'). 'Fans' is the most common word for enthusiastic admirers, especially of celebrities, sports teams, or artists; it is plural-countable and more direct. 'Audience' is broader — it describes the people who watch or listen to a performance, speech, or programme, regardless of whether they admire the performer. 'Admirers' is slightly more formal and suggests appreciation or respect rather than active enthusiasm. For example, a musician may have a loyal following of fans who attend every concert, a wide audience who stream their songs online, and a few influential admirers in the music industry.

following ↗fansaudience ↗admirers

Common collocations

Nouns

  • following wind
  • following sea
  • following pages
  • following morning

Verbs

  • gain a following
  • have a following
  • attract a following
  • build a following
  • earn a following

Adjectives

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Following' comes from the Old English verb 'folgian', meaning 'to go after, pursue, accompany'. This word traces back to the Proto-Germanic '*fulgōną'. The preposition use — meaning 'after in time' — developed in the 14th century. The noun sense, referring to a group of adherents or admirers, emerged in the 15th century and became common by the 1600s.