succession

suc·ces·sion | \ sək-ˈse-shən

Definition of succession

1a : the order in which or the conditions under which one person after another succeeds to a property, dignity, title, or throne

b : the right of a person or line to succeed

c : the line having such a right

2a : the act or process of following in order : sequence

b(1) : the act or process of one person's taking the place of another in the enjoyment of or liability for rights or duties or both

(2) : the act or process of a person's becoming beneficially entitled to a property or property interest of a deceased person

c : the continuance of corporate personality

d : unidirectional change in the composition of an ecosystem as the available competing organisms and especially the plants respond to and modify the environment

3a : a number of persons or things that follow each other in sequence

b : a group, type, or series that succeeds or displaces another

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Examples of succession in a Sentence

As third in the line of succession, she would only become queen if her brothers both died or became ineligible.

Recent Examples on the Web The Atlantic’s McCay Coppins reported at length on Monday on the succession battle brewing between Ivanka Trump, an influential White House adviser, and Donald Trump Jr., who co-manages the family business with their brother Eric Trump. — Matt Ford, The New Republic, "The Trump Organization’s Hostile Takeover of the U.S. Government," 10 Sep. 2019 However, they were made to sweat early on, Adrian pulling off two sharp saves in quick succession as the hosts made a strong start. — SI.com, "Napoli 2-0 Liverpool: Report, Ratings & Reaction as Reds Start Champions League Defence With Defeat," 17 Sep. 2019 The fact that Turkish smugglers were able to gather so many people on Aug. 29 and send them to Greece in such quick succession has raised questions about Turkish state complicity. — New York Times, "Migration to Greece Is Rising, as Erdogan Warns of Still More," 11 Sep. 2019 Then in quick succession, a pair of brilliant results — one by Hawking himself — suggested that the equations governing black holes were in fact actual expressions of the thermodynamic laws applied to black holes. — Quanta Magazine, "Are We All Wrong About Black Holes?," 10 Sep. 2019 But then, in the summer before eighth grade, two events occurred in quick succession. — Rebecca Schuman, Longreads, "I’ll Be Loving You Forever," 14 Aug. 2019 Or when attacks in France, Brussels, New Zealand and other faraway regions came in such quick succession there wasn't time for mourners of one trauma to disperse before the next took its place. — Aj Willingham, CNN, "When bad news gets to be too much," 7 Aug. 2019 A few months ago, the world lost two long-serving autocrats in quick succession: Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who resigned on April 2, and Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir, who was deposed on April 11. — Tom Ball, The New Republic, "How to Stage a Successful Revolution," 1 July 2019 The activity backstage must be as frantic as anything out front, as the large ensemble goes through multiple, major costume changes in quick succession. — nola.com, "Summer Lyric presents tap-happy love song to Broadway with ‘42nd Street’," 19 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'succession.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near succession

successional speciation

succession duty

successionist

Statistics for succession

Last Updated

3 Nov 2019

Time Traveler for succession

The first known use of succession was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for succession

succession

noun

English Language Learners Definition of succession

: the act of getting a title or right after the person who had that title or right before you has died or is no longer able or allowed to have it also : the process by which this happens

: a series of people or things that come one after the other

See the full definition for succession in the English Language Learners Dictionary

succession

noun

suc·ces·sion | \ sək-ˈse-shən

Kids Definition of succession

1 : a series of people or things that follow one after another A succession of police cars raced past.

2 : the order, act, or right of succeeding to a throne, title, or property

succession

noun

suc·ces·sion | \ sək-ˈse-shən

Legal Definition of succession

1a : the order in which or the conditions under which one person after another succeeds to a property, dignity, position, title, or throne the sequence of succession to the presidency

b : the right of a person or line of ancestry to succeed

c : the line of ancestry having such a right

2a : the act or process of following in order

b : the act or process of one person's taking the place of another in the enjoyment of or liability for rights or duties or both

3 : the act or process by which a person becomes entitled to the property or property interest of a deceased person and especially an intestate : the transmission of the estate of a decedent to his or her heirs, legatees, or devisees also : the estate of the deceased including assets and liabilities —used chiefly in the civil law of Louisiana

— intestate succession

1 : the transmission of property or property interests of a decedent as provided by statute as distinguished from the transfer in accordance with the decedent's will also : the operation of such statutory provisions in transmitting intestate property would take the property by intestate succession

2 in the civil law of Louisiana : property that is not disposed of by will but by operation of statute who presents himself to claim an intestate succession — Louisiana Civil Code

— testate succession

: the transmission of property in accordance with a valid will

— vacant succession

in the civil law of Louisiana : an estate that has not been claimed, of which the heirs are unknown, or that has been renounced by all of the heirs

4a : the continuance of a corporation's status as a legal person perpetual corporate succession

b : the act or process by which one corporation assumes ownership of another documents…that all aim to prepare your company for its new owner's succession— Saul Berkowitz

5 : the act or process by which one state takes over or follows upon another and becomes entitled to its rights and position in international law

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