successor

noun

suc·​ces·​sor sək-ˈse-sər 

: 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

Ronald’s successor at the center of the story is Anthony Norman, another young man with an open face and an inviting disposition. —Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026

And while the sun would soon set on the Eddie DeBartolo dynasty and the dominance of America’s Team, the league would soon be gifted with a worthy successor to all that eyeball-grabbing greatness with the story of a man named Brady. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 27 Mar. 2026

Governor Gavin Newsom, who’s barred by term limits from seeking reelection but is considered a presidential hopeful in 2028, has yet to endorse a would-be successor. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026

The system and its successors were seen as useful crime fighting tools. —Jess Reia, The Conversation, 27 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for successor

• aggressor
• assessor
• compressor
• confessor
• depressor
• hairdresser
• necessar
• oppressor
• possessor
• processor
• professor
• repressor

Kids Definition

successor

noun

suc·​ces·​sor sək-ˈses-ər 

: 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 

: one that follows : one that succeeds another (as in a position, title, office, or estate)