successor

noun

suc·​ces·​sor sək-ˈse-sər How to pronounce successor (audio)
: one that follows
especially : one who succeeds to a throne, title, estate, or office

Examples of successor in a Sentence

The CEO's successor used to be the vice president here. the successor to the throne
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Steele -- who has represented the North Little Rock area for more than two decades in different capacities, including in the Arkansas House, Senate and as a school board member -- endorsed Dokes to be his successor. Ella McCarthy, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2025 And while Wall Street and Silicon Valley have been piling into AI stocks despite warnings of a bubble, Buffett and his successor, Greg Abel, have been looking further afield for investment inspiration. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2025 The company is already studying a concept of a successor to Mauve, a more potent UV-observer Mauve+. Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 17 Oct. 2025 According to sources, an internal successor could be named. Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for successor

Word History

Etymology

Middle English successour, from Anglo-French, from Latin successor, from succedere

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of successor was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Successor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/successor. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

successor

noun
suc·​ces·​sor sək-ˈses-ər How to pronounce successor (audio)
: one that follows
especially : a person who succeeds to a throne, title, estate, or office

Legal Definition

successor

noun
suc·​ces·​sor sək-ˈse-sər How to pronounce successor (audio)
: one that follows : one that succeeds another (as in a position, title, office, or estate)

More from Merriam-Webster on successor

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