heir apparent

noun

plural heirs apparent

1

: an heir whose right to an inheritance cannot be voided or undone except by exclusion under a valid will if the heir survives the ancestor

2

: heir presumptive

3

: one whose succession especially to a position or role appears certain under existing circumstances

Examples of heir apparent in a Sentence

The coach named her assistant as her heir apparent.

Recent Examples on the Web

After the disastrous ’24 season, Getz fired White Sox manager Pedro Grifol and hired Rangers bench coach Will Venable, who’d been the heir apparent there to succeed Bruce Bochy. —Bill Madden, New York Daily News, 13 June 2026

Years into the overhaul, Mulally’s then–heir apparent Mark Fields recalled how the CEO had empowered executives to defy Ford’s long-standing culture that buried bad news. —Claire Zillman, Fortune, 12 June 2026

Under the deal struck last fall, Lachlan Murdoch’s stature as the heir apparent was reinforced, while his siblings James, Elisabeth and Prudence all formally cut ties with the family’s media empire. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 11 June 2026

With Chubb and Phillips still on the mend from gruesome injuries the year prior, the then-rookie was thought to be the heir apparent. —Miami Herald, 28 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for heir apparent

• aberrant
• declarant
• grandparent
• stepparent
• transparent
• errant
• parent
• semitransparent

Kids Definition

heir apparent

noun

plural heirs apparent

: an heir whose right to succeed (as to a throne) cannot be taken away if he or she outlives the present holder

Legal Definition

heir apparent

see also:

heir