Following

How to spell following

9 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce following

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does following mean?

1. adjectiveComing next in order or time; about to be mentioned.
2. nounA group of supporters, fans, or admirers.
3. prepositionComing after a particular event; as a result of.

Following in a sentence

• adjective

  The meeting was postponed until the following week.

• noun

  The band built a loyal following over many years of touring.

• preposition

  Following the storm, several roads remained closed for repairs.

• adjective

  Please complete the following form before your appointment.

• noun

  Her cooking blog attracted a huge following online.

• preposition

  The company issued a refund following the customer's complaint.

Where does following come from?

Language of origin: Germanic

This word grows from the Old English verb folgian, meaning to go after, to accompany, or to serve. That verb belonged to a wider family of Germanic words; its Dutch and German cousins, volgen and folgen, still carry the same sense of going behind someone or something. The double l in the modern spelling preserves the older consonant cluster that English settled on, and it is the part writers should anchor in memory. Over the centuries folgian broadened from physically walking behind a person to include obeying, supporting, and understanding, which is why a leader can have a following and an argument can be hard to follow. The -ing suffix attached early, allowing the same word to serve as a participle, a gerund noun, and an adjective meaning the next in order.

How the word is built

• follow (from Old English folgian: to go after)
• -ing (forms participle, gerund, and adjective)