following the crowd

Meanings

1. 1phrasefixed phrase

   Doing or believing the same things as most other people, because you do not want to be different.

   Grammar: Used as a noun-like activity or after a linking verb: 'Following the crowd is easy.' It is not used with an object.

   Patterns

   • following the crowd
   • be following the crowd
   • instead of following the crowd

   He bought the same phone as everyone else in his class, simply because he was following the crowd.

   Following the crowd can feel safe, but it often stops you from asking what you really want.

   I wore a plain black suit to the party; I was following the crowd, I suppose.

2. 2phrasefixed phrasedisapproving

   Acting in the way that most people around you are acting, especially when this seems easier than deciding for yourself.

   Grammar: Often contrasts with independent thinking: 'She did not want to be following the crowd.'

   Patterns

   • not want to be following the crowd
   • be criticized for following the crowd

   The teacher praised the students who asked questions rather than following the crowd.

   Some critics say the company is just following the crowd instead of leading the market.

Common combinations

follow the crowd

It is hard not to follow the crowd when all your friends are going.

go along with the crowd

She went along with the crowd and voted for the popular option.

stand out from the crowd

His bright red coat made him stand out from the crowd.

peer pressure

Teenagers often start smoking because of peer pressure, not because they enjoy it.

go against the crowd

He went against the crowd and chose a career in music.

Synonyms and how they differ

conformity

A more formal noun for the same idea; it fits essays and reports better than everyday speech.

peer pressure

Focuses on the influence other people put on you, while 'following the crowd' describes your own action.

herd mentality

A stronger, often disapproving term for people acting together without thinking.

Opposites

Word family

follow verb

To go after someone or do what they suggest.

follower noun

A person who supports or copies someone else.

crowd noun

A large group of people in one place.

Commonly confused: following the crowd or following a crowd?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “following the crowd”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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