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.
And the announcement has spurred whispers about a possible successor. Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2025 Live updates: World mourns Pope Francis, a humble reformer who favored 'the poorest' Pope Francis left behind a rich legacy and before a successor is chosen, the last rites of the pope need to be carried out. Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025 The process changed because the cardinals infuriated the people of Viterbo, Italy by taking nearly three years to choose a successor to Pope Clement IV, who had died in their town. Made By History, Time, 22 Apr. 2025 During this time, Cardinal Kevin Farrell is acting as the cardinal camerlengo, a person appointed by the pope and tasked with certain duties during the transition to a successor, NPR reported. Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 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 1 May. 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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