successional

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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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
Adjective
  • Perhaps even more surprising was to see Georgia call three consecutive pass plays with its backup quarterback while Stockton was waiting to be cleared.
    — Connor Riley, AJC.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • France does indeed have labor laws to ensure workers don’t work for more than 48 hours a week, or 44 hours per week on average over a period of 12 consecutive weeks.
    — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Deepening the mystery, no Roman artifacts were found in successive investigations of the site, even though the sarcophagus bears a Latin inscription to one Valerius Amandinus.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The 10-song Burned follows 2021’s New Fragility and grew out of a turbulent stretch for Ounsworth, marked by the end of a relationship and the successive losses of his mother, uncle and a close friend.
    — SPIN Staff, SPIN, 21 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Successional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/successional. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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