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

Trump has declined so far to endorse a successor, opting to keep his cards close ahead of what’s likely to be a bitter race. — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 29 Aug. 2026

This June, a reform coalition led by the New Kings Democrats, calling itself Brooklyn Can’t Wait, won a majority to oust the current chair, Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, and elect Julio Peña III as her successor. — Doug Schneider, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026

Industry sources said Pemsel’s exit has been planned for some time, and that the BFC has already been running a quiet, monthslong search for his successor. — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026

Syria’s security services were built from Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, the successor group to the Nusra Front that al-Sharaa led to power in Syria. — Jason M. Blazakis, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026

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)