Definitions
- Referring to the act of complying with rules, regulations, or standards. - Describing the process of adapting to a particular situation or environment. - Talking about the act of matching or being in agreement with something.
- Referring to the act of going after or coming behind someone or something. - Describing the act of obeying instructions, commands, or rules. - Talking about the act of keeping up with or staying informed about something.
List of Similarities
- 1Both involve compliance with rules or instructions.
- 2Both require an action in response to an external source.
- 3Both can be used in a figurative sense, such as following a trend or conforming to social norms.
What is the difference?
- 1Direction: Conform implies adjusting oneself to match an external standard, while follow implies moving in the same direction as an external source.
- 2Initiative: Conform suggests a more active role in changing oneself to fit in, while follow implies a more passive role in responding to external cues.
- 3Scope: Conform is often used in a more specific context, such as conforming to a dress code or safety regulations, while follow can be used in a wider range of contexts.
- 4Authority: Conform often implies a higher authority or standard that one must comply with, while follow can refer to any external source of guidance or influence.
- 5Connotation: Conform can have negative connotations of blindly following rules or losing individuality, while follow is more neutral and can have positive connotations of learning from others or staying informed.
Remember this!
Conform and follow both involve responding to external sources, but they differ in their direction, initiative, scope, authority, and connotation. Conform implies adjusting oneself to match an external standard, often set by a higher authority, while follow implies moving in the same direction as an external source of guidance or influence. Conform can have negative connotations of losing individuality, while follow is more neutral and can have positive connotations of learning from others.
