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

Rodgers’ successor, Jordan Love, will play his first game since suffering a concussion in that late December game, and in terms of his success against the Bears, he’s picked up where Rodgers had left off. —Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026

Chávez appointed Maduro as his successor before dying of cancer in 2013. —Regina Garcia Cano, Fortune, 10 Jan. 2026

Davie’s successor will inherit an organization wrestling with its place in a media ecosystem dominated by overseas tech giants, as well as battling enemies closer to home, with conservative politicians and media proprietors wishing to see the BBC diminished during charter renewal. —Max Goldbart, Deadline, 9 Jan. 2026

Researchers in China have taken a step toward unlocking the full potential of lithium–sulfur batteries, a technology long seen as a successor to today’s lithium-ion cells. —Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Jan. 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)