What Does FOLLOW SUIT Mean in English?
FOLLOW SUIT is a common idiomatic expression in English used to say that someone does the same thing as another person or group. In simple terms, it means to follow someone’s example.
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, its definition is:
to do the same thing as someone else
FOLLOW SUIT | Meaning
This expression is used when an action taken by one person, organization, or group leads others to act in the same way. It often describes collective behavior, imitation, or a chain reaction of similar decisions.
Usage and Register
This expression has a neutral register and is widely used in:
- everyday spoken English
- professional and business contexts
- journalism and news writing
- formal and semi-formal texts
It is especially common when talking about trends, policies, social behavior, and reactions to decisions.
Examples
- If you are not sure of the proper etiquette, watch what others do and follow suit.
- When Susan got up and walked out, we followed suit.
- Sandra went to work for a bank, and Carol followed suit. Now they’re both account managers.
- When one airline reduces its ticket prices, the rest usually follow suit.
- Spain cut its rates by half a per cent but no other country has followed suit.
- The Smiths aren’t going to the wedding, I think we should follow suit.
Common Contexts of Use
The expression is frequently used when:
- one decision influences others
- people adopt the same behavior
- organizations respond to a leading action
- trends spread across groups or industries
Because of its neutrality, follow suit fits naturally in both spoken and written English.
Origin of the Expression FOLLOW SUIT
The expression follow suit comes from card games.
In card games, the word suit refers to the suits of cards (hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades). In many games, players are required to play a card of the same suit as the one previously played. This action is known as following suit.
Over time, the expression moved beyond card games and entered general English, where it came to mean doing the same thing as someone else.
[You can read the Brazilian Portuguese version of this article by clicking here]
