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

Laila Edwards is in her first and could very well be Knight’s successor. —Stephen Whyno, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026

The Constitutional Court upholds Yoon’s impeachment and removes him as president, triggering an election within 60 days to choose his successor. —ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026

Last week’s Stick to Football episode, recorded shortly after his successor, Thomas Frank, was sacked by Spurs, was the fastest in its history to reach one million views. —Elias Burke, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026

Among the many sins former Mayor Eric Adams must answer for is leaving his successor, Zohran Mamdani, a colossal budget deficit of roughly $12 billion this fiscal year and next. —Eric Kober, New York Daily News, 19 Feb. 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)