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

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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
  • Lynette Howell Taylor has been reelected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, beginning a second consecutive term as the organization moves toward its 100th anniversary.
    Clayton Davis, Variety, 29 July 2026
  • For the sixth consecutive season, one of the WNBA’s legacy franchises has come apart at the seams, tattering the franchise’s three-championship history with a sordid record that mandates a clear response.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
Adjective
  • In 1982, while still an England international, Keegan shocked the footballing world by trading First Division Southampton for Newcastle, who had just finished their fourth-successive campaign in the second tier.
    James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Through the same five-month period of 2020, the United States registered the first of three successive trade surpluses with Venezuela.
    Ken Roberts, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Successional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/successional. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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