successive

adjective

suc·​ces·​sive sək-ˈse-siv 

1

: following in order : following each other without interruption

their fourth successive victory

2

: characterized by or produced in succession

successively adverb

successiveness noun

Synonyms of successive

• consecutive

Examples of successive in a Sentence

a trait found in successive generations

made the honor roll for three successive school terms

Recent Examples on the Web

Across a 32-year career spanning research, manufacturing, and leadership roles, his work focused on extending performance and yield at a time when each successive node demanded fundamentally new approaches. —Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 22 Jan. 2026

Daily turnover across the Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing stock exchanges climbed to successive record highs Monday through Wednesday last week, according to Wind Information, a financial data service focused on China. —Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 19 Jan. 2026

Italian-Thai Development, one of Thailand’s largest construction conglomerates, is in the spotlight after successive fatal incidents on its building sites. —Angelica Ang, Fortune, 19 Jan. 2026

Billy Bob Thornton, Demi Moore, Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren, and Zoe Saldaña have also appeared on various other Sheridan shows, which teem with greater star power with each successive iteration. —Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for successive

• aggressive
• compressive
• concessive
• depressive
• excessive
• expressive
• impressive
• obsessive
• oppressive
• possessive
• progressive
• recessive

Kids Definition

successive

adjective

suc·​ces·​sive sək-ˈses-iv 

: following in order : following each other without interruption

failed in three successive tries

successively adverb

successiveness noun

Legal Definition

successive

adjective

suc·​ces·​sive sək-ˈse-siv 

1

a

: of or relating to succession

successive rights

b

: created by succession

2

: following in order : following each other without interruption

successive bankruptcy filings

3

: of, relating to, or being a petition for habeas corpus that raises a claim already adjudicated

successively adverb

successiveness noun