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successional

adjective

Definition of successionalnext
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

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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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for successional
  1. consecutive
  2. successive
Adjective
  • To play the same numbers in up to 10 consecutive drawings, select the Advance Play option.
    — Gagandeep Singh, Sacbee.com, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Remarkably, the setup is far from single-use, as the team ran up to 25 consecutive calculations in the same droplet without any performance loss.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of consecutive
Adjective
  • Italy is among the European countries most exposed to migrant arrivals because of its central Mediterranean location, making migration a hot-button issue and a major challenge for successive governments.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
  • To build it, lay down a flat layer of spheres, and rest each successive layer into the dimples formed by the one below.
    — Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of successive

Browse Nearby Words

succession
successional
successionally
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Cite this Entry

“Successional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/successional. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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