follow suit

Idioms and Phrases

Imitate or do as someone else has done, as in Bill decided to leave for the rest of the day, and Mary followed suit . This term comes from card games in which one must play a card from the same suit as the one led. [Mid-1800s]

Example Sentences

Undefeated Harvard, which had three games left, including its finale with Yale, did not follow suit.

From The Daily Beast

One purported ISIS fighter from Canada praised Rouleau and encouraged others to follow suit with violence.

From The Daily Beast

Mitchell and others favoring charters pushed for North Carolina lawmakers to follow suit.

From The Daily Beast

At the meeting, Power commended the two for “leading the charge” and urged others to follow suit.

From The Daily Beast

When she refused, he then demanded a male employee follow suit before simulating “an oral sex act with him.”

From The Daily Beast

The ladies retire, and after a quiet smoke by the roaring hall-fire the gentlemen follow suit.

From Project Gutenberg

She is extremely impulsive and confidential, and others follow suit if they are with her.

From Project Gutenberg

Whereupon Machanidas was constrained to follow suit by sending his Tarentines forward also.

From Project Gutenberg

Half the duke's tenants have flown the place already, and the other half are getting ready to follow suit.

From Project Gutenberg

At least, in the Diplomatic Circles of mankind;—if haply the Populations will follow suit!

From Project Gutenberg