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

Arafat’s successor, current PA President Mahmoud Abbas, has banished and imprisoned opponents and critics. —Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025

Despite the Cat's demise, Raskin's team at IAI attempted to move forward with a successor machine, a portable laptop that would have reportedly weighed just four pounds. —Cameron Kaiser, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025

The company has also initiated a search process to find a permanent successor. —Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025

Throughout his career, industry insiders pegged him as a successor to Wintour. —Matt Donnelly, Variety, 12 Sep. 2025

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)