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

Majma-ul-Bahrain (1657) Majma-ul-Bahrain (The Mingling of the Two Oceans) is a philosophical treatise composed in Persian by Dara Shikoh, eldest son of Shah Jahan and heir apparent to the Mughal throne. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Apr. 2026

Former President Jair Bolsonaro was jailed for 27 years for plotting a coup; his eldest son and heir apparent was thrown out of Congress and is living in the US. —Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 7 Apr. 2026

The actor starred as billionaire Logan Roy opposite Strong as his heir apparent Kendall Roy, a role that earned Strong several Emmy Award nominations and one win. —Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Apr. 2026

Strong played heir apparent Kendall Roy, with his siblings portrayed by Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook and Alan Ruck, each vying to inherit the family business. —Glenn Garner, Deadline, 3 Apr. 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