follow the crowd

/ˈfɒloʊ ðə kraʊd/
phraseIntermediate to conform to the majority
informal

To do what most people are doing or believe, often without critical thinking or personal conviction.

Instead of choosing his own path, he chose to follow the crowd and study business.

He conformed to societal expectations by studying business rather than pursuing his interests.

During the protest, some people followed the crowd without understanding the cause.

Some participants joined the protest without fully grasping the underlying issues.

💡

This phrase often implies a lack of individuality or independent thought.

Collocations

blindly follow the crowdto conform without question or critical thought

Related Phrases

go with the flowphrase
to accept things as they happen without resistance
follow the herdphrase
to conform to the actions of a group

💡Pro Tip

Avoiding Conformity

To avoid blindly following the crowd, question norms and make decisions based on your values and research.

Gold Rule

Critical Thinking

Always evaluate whether following the crowd aligns with your beliefs and goals.

📖Word Origin

The phrase originates from the idea of physically following a large group of people, metaphorically extended to social behavior.

📝Usage Notes

This phrase is often used to criticize people for not thinking independently or making their own decisions.

Word Breakdown

follow
to go after or imitate
root
+
the crowd
a large group of people
root
English Dictionary