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Meaning & use

following suit

phrase·Academic

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UK/ˌfɒl.əʊ.ɪŋ ˈsuːt/
US/ˌfɑː.loʊ.ɪŋ ˈsuːt/

Meanings

  1. phrasefixed phrase

    Doing the same thing that another person or group has just done, usually because they set an example.

    Grammar: Used after be or after verbs like avoid, consider, and start; it cannot be split or changed.

    Patterns

    • be following suit
    • start following suit
    • avoid following suit

    When the biggest airline cut its prices, the smaller carriers soon started following suit.

    She began volunteering at the shelter, and her brother ended up following suit.

    The government raised fuel taxes, and several neighboring countries are following suit.

  2. phrasefixed phrasetechnical

    Copying the action of someone who has just played a card of the same suit in a card game.

    Grammar: This is the original card-game use, and it appears mainly in descriptions of games such as bridge or whist.

    Patterns

    • be following suit
    • a rule about following suit

    In whist, a player who cannot follow suit may play any card.

    The rule about following suit is what gives the phrase its everyday meaning.

Common combinations

start following suit
After the first school banned phones, others started following suit.
soon following suit
The rival firm is soon following suit with a cheaper model.
following suit with something
The city is following suit with its own recycling plan.
not following suit
Some members are not following suit, which has annoyed the leadership.
everyone else following suit
She changed her diet, with everyone else in the family following suit.

Synonyms and how they differ

copying
Copying is more general and can be negative, while following suit often suggests a sensible or expected imitation.
imitating
Imitating focuses on trying to be like someone, whereas following suit is simply doing the same action once.
doing the same
This is a plain, neutral alternative that works in speech but sounds less formal in writing.

Opposites

going against the trendbreaking the pattern

Word family

follow verb
to come after or act according to something
follower noun
a person who supports or copies another person or idea
suit noun
one of the four groups of cards in a game such as bridge

Commonly confused: following suit or follow suit? following suit or suit?

following suit vs follow suit

Learners often use this as a base form, but the phrase in sentences is almost always 'following suit' after be or a verb like start.

following suit vs suit

Suit as a noun means a set of clothes or a card group; the phrase following suit has nothing to do with clothing.

Practice

The company announced a four-day week, and several of its competitors are now ______.

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