The word "follow" has several possible antonyms depending on its different meanings.
When "follow" means to go or come after a person or thing
In this context, the antonym could be "lead". For example, in a group of hikers, some people follow the guide, while the guide himself leads the way. "Follow" implies moving behind someone or something as a follower, whereas "lead" means being at the front and showing the direction for others to go. So, if we say "The dog always follows its owner everywhere", the opposite situation would be "The owner always leads the dog when they go out".
When "follow" means to act in accordance with a rule, instruction or advice
Here, an antonym could be "disobey" or "ignore". For instance, if we say "You should follow the traffic rules when driving", the opposite would be "You shouldn't disobey the traffic rules when driving" or "You shouldn't ignore the traffic rules when driving". "Follow" in this sense means to comply with or adhere to something, while "disobey" means to not do as one is told or required to do by the rules, and "ignore" means to pay no attention to them.
When "follow" means to come after something in order or sequence
The antonym might be "precede". For example, in a series of events, if event A follows event B, then in the opposite situation, event B precedes event A. "Precede" means to happen or come before something else in time, order or position.
In conclusion, the antonym of "follow" varies according to its specific meaning in different contexts, and common ones include "lead", "disobey", "ignore" and "precede".