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 Intel has suffered a succession of manufacturing failures that derailed three consecutive generations of microprocessor technology. — oregonlive, "Intel suggests it will wait for new CEO to make critical decisions to fix manufacturing crisis," 15 Jan. 2021 New Orleans restaurants have rolled with a succession of changing rules since March. — Ian Mcnulty, NOLA.com, "Facing new rules, cold weather, here's how New Orleans restaurants keep hanging on," 11 Jan. 2021 Adopted in 1967, the 25th Amendment deals with presidential succession and disability. — Star Tribune, "Act now to end Trump's presidency," 11 Jan. 2021 However, Wolf was not the next person in line, according to the 2016 succession list. — Anna Giaritelli, Washington Examiner, "Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf stepping down from Trump administration," 11 Jan. 2021 In November, Hurricanes Eta and Iota hit Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and other Central American countries in close succession, submerging towns, destroying infrastructure and farmlands, and killing dozens across the region. — Ciara Nugent, Time, "2020 Was a Year of Climate Extremes. What Can We Expect in 2021?," 31 Dec. 2020 For Kilani, 47, the quick succession of deaths felt unbearably heavy. — Los Angeles Times, "Deaths keep coming at one L.A. hospital as workers weep," 31 Dec. 2020 This policy decisively cut the ties between Henry and the pope and granted succession to Princess Elizabeth instead of Mary, Catherine’s daughter. — History Magazine, "Anne Boleyn used flirtation, fertility, and faith to seduce Henry VIII," 29 Dec. 2020 There's money to study doping in horse racing, study the succession (or reincarnation) of the Dalai Lama and mainland China's future reaction to it, and billions for foreign aid--a lot of it for countries that aren't necessarily allies. — Arkansas Online, "OPINION | EDITORIAL: Extended holiday," 28 Dec. 2020

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

21 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Succession.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/succession. Accessed 27 Jan. 2021.

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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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