Synonym Chooser

How is the word succeed different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of succeed are ensue, follow, and supervene. While all these words mean "to come after something or someone," succeed implies a coming after immediately in a sequence determined by natural order, inheritance, election, or laws of rank.

she succeeded her father as head of the business

When can ensue be used instead of succeed?

While in some cases nearly identical to succeed, ensue commonly suggests a logical consequence or naturally expected development.

after the talk a general discussion ensued

When could follow be used to replace succeed?

The words follow and succeed are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, follow may apply to a coming after in time, position, or logical sequence.

speeches followed the dinner

When is supervene a more appropriate choice than succeed?

The synonyms supervene and succeed are sometimes interchangeable, but supervene suggests the following or beginning of something unforeseen or unpredictable.

unable to continue because of supervening circumstances

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of succeed Yet, the partnership succeeds only if both countries commit to playing by the same rules, aligning enforcement priorities, economic objectives and public health strategies. Quico Canseco, Boston Herald, 3 July 2025 Republicans have struggled mightily with the bill nearly every step of the way, often succeeding by the narrowest of margins — just one vote. Kevin Freking, Fortune, 3 July 2025 Bishop is succeeding Gina Stilp, who has been executive director for six years, who is taking a position with a family foundation in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Ricardo Torres, jsonline.com, 3 July 2025 Still the vote doesn't guarantee the bill will succeed since several lawmakers who oppose its $3.3 trillion price tag are still seeking changes as of early this morning. Taylor Wilson, USA Today, 3 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for succeed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for succeed
Verb
  • But the story goes a little something like this: Cheyenne, along with her two older brothers, was taken in by their great-grandparents after their mother lost custody.
    Stephanie Kuzydym, The Courier-Journal, 6 July 2025
  • But everything depends on next weekend’s figures after the arrival of the first major box office threat, and the bigger the box office impact, the faster Jurassic World’s plans for a billion dollar summer may go extinct.
    Mark Hughes, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025
Verb
  • Helping new med students thrive Dr. Deeksha Sikri is pathology discipline director for the foundational sciences team.
    Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2025
  • Elevated athleisure Bold, active, and always on the move—Aries thrives in pieces that merge confidence with comfort.
    Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • Also be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow me here on this blog.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • Chisholm followed that free pass with a questionable sac bunt for the first out of the inning.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • To find the full list of previous Powerball winners,click the link to the lottery's website.
    Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 6 July 2025
  • To read the results of previous reader polls, click here.
    Baltimore Sun staff, Baltimore Sun, 6 July 2025
Verb
  • While smart contracts flourished on networks like Ethereum and Solana that promoted these capabilities, bitcoin retained primarily a store of value function despite having the largest market capitalization and adoption of any cryptocurrency.
    Aaron Stanley, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Bieber’s consistent virality, combined with the beauty industry’s ongoing obsession with cherries and strawberries, created a ripe environment for the micro fruit nail trend to flourish…and keep on flourishing.
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • Andrew Vorhees is the clear favorite to replace Patrick Mekari at left guard and Nate Wiggins will be a Day 1 starter at outside corner in place of Brandon Stephens.
    Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 8 July 2025
  • There are no long tubes, no extra pieces, and no filters to replace.
    Kaitlyn Gomez, USA Today, 8 July 2025
Verb
  • Original price: $79.99 This vertical floor fan delivers powerful wind velocity for fast cooling across a wide area.
    Nora Colomer may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 5 July 2025
  • Night one of the 2025 ESSENCE Festival of Culture’s Evening Concert series at the Caesars Superdome delivered a dynamic mix of legends and rising stars, reminding festival-goers why these concerts remain the weekend’s crown jewel.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 5 July 2025
Verb
  • The suspects fled the area before the officers arrived.
    Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2025
  • Blue Origin shared a snippet of video last week on social media showing the mid-section of the MK1 lander arriving at the company's assembly facilities in Rocket Park, Florida.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 30 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Succeed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/succeed. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on succeed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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