as in consecutive
following one after another without others coming in between
the successional stages that an area goes through following a devastating forest fire
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 successional
This biological soil crust immobilizes shifting dunes and establishes a nutrient-rich substrate essential for the successional development of plant life.
—
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 Jan. 2026
Periodic burning or disking, to maintain early successional growth and keep a field from becoming a young forest, tends to stimulate the growth of forbs.
—Will Brantley, Outdoor Life, 29 Oct. 2025
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 Jan. 2026
Periodic burning or disking, to maintain early successional growth and keep a field from becoming a young forest, tends to stimulate the growth of forbs.
—Will Brantley, Outdoor Life, 29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for successional
Adjective
-
Sennecke’s big postseason continues With a goal in his fourth consecutive game, Sennecke joined Auston Matthews, Nicklas Backstrom and Logan Couture as rookies with four-game goal streaks in the playoffs over the last 25 years.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
-
This is the third consecutive year the hairstyling will be done in partnership with Dyson Beauty.—
Jennifer Weil,
Footwear News,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
Ebola was first identified in 1976 after a flare up in present-day Congo, which in decades since has had successive Ebola epidemics.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
-
Manager Nuno Espirito Santo and his squad went on to prove them right in the next couple of years with successive seventh-place finishes, a European quarter-final and an FA Cup semi-final appearance.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Successional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/successional. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
