English idiom

follow in someone's footsteps

Register · Neutral CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

to copy another person's actions or pursue a similar path, especially in work or achievement

Word picture

A person's choices are pictured as footprints forming a path for someone else to follow.

Example

“Nora followed in her mother's footsteps and became a pediatrician.”

Dictionary details

Component words

follow

Tags

work
success

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

ahead of the game

to stay better prepared than others by anticipating future needs

blaze a trail

to pioneer an approach that opens the way for later people

cut the mustard

to perform well enough for a particular need or expectation

deliver the goods

to do what is expected or promised; to produce good results

fall into place

to become clear or to work out well after a period of confusion

make a go of

to turn an undertaking into a lasting success

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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