successions

noun

plural of succession
1
as in series
a series of things, people, events, or actions arranged or happening one after another He experienced a succession of car repairs that set him back thousands of dollars.

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2
as in lineages
the order of people in a family The prince is third in the line of succession to the throne.

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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 successions Helaena, however, is not concerned with thrones or successions. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 History shows family successions, whether in North Korea or Syria, tend to happen through rigid authoritarian control, with the transfer of power underwritten by whoever controls the military. — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026 Plant additional successions of sunflowers every week or two to enjoy blooms later in the summer. — Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 11 May 2026 For authoritarian regimes, survival is uncertain, and never more so than during inescapable successions. — Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for successions
  1. series
  2. lineages
  3. strings
  4. descents
  5. sequences
  6. births
  7. relations
  8. races
Noun
  • For now, the stars of the series see Louis and Lestat’s reunion as definitive, a culmination of all the tumult required to get to a place where Louis can declare his love and Lestat can accept it.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 20 July 2026
  • Triple-double with meaning LeBron left no doubt about his championship impact in closing out that first title in 2012 against the Thunder, finishing that series-winning Game 5 victory with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 20 July 2026
Definition of series
Noun
  • The research team, led by Ellie Bourgikos and Nathan Grubaugh at the Yale School of Public Health, estimates that one of the virus’s two major lineages arrived in the Northeast by the early 1700s.
    — John Drake, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
  • Because everyone will have access to the same information, AI will accentuate the value of personal connections, again promoting lineages and networks that at their most extreme may appear to be sinister establishment conspiracies.
    — Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
Definition of lineages
Noun
  • The ribosome is what translates genetic instructions to make proteins, which are themselves strings of amino acids that do nearly everything a cell needs done to survive and thrive.
    — Lori Youmshajekian, Scientific American, 14 July 2026
  • Given the unique nature of spreading credit among that many artists, Gilroy had to pull some strings—bypassing people’s agents to meet one-on-one.
    — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026
Definition of strings
Noun
  • While there are some hills, the focus is on enjoying the forests, farmhouses, and long, winding descents rather than chasing summits.
    — Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • But it can be snapped back together and used as a snowboard for descents.
    — William Finnegan, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Definition of descents
Noun
  • Combine the two, and Spain have shown there are multiple threats to their game that transcend long sequences of possession.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • The sequences cap off a half-decade romantic journey and offer a counter to some of Heartstopper’s detractors.
    — Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 18 July 2026
Definition of sequences
Noun
  • With the black vultures circling, the next cycle of births appeared imminent.
    — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2026
  • When air quality was moderate (51–100), the embryo transfer rate was 65%, but the percentage of successful births dropped to 49%.
    — Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026
Definition of births
Noun
  • Announced during Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to the kingdom last week, the deal follows a thawing of bilateral relations after a years-long diplomatic rift over Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.
    — Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 14 July 2026
  • This is the only New Moon all year that offers you a chance to think about how to improve your home and relations with family.
    — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 14 July 2026
Definition of relations
Noun
  • Ed Henderson, a longtime member of the Georgia GOP’s state committee from Rabun County, said an expanding map of competitive Senate races could make Collins’ task even harder.
    — Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 20 July 2026
  • In the 2010s, both Theresa May and Boris Johnson became prime minister after winning Conservative leadership races when their predecessors resigned midterm.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
Definition of races

Browse Nearby Words

successionally
successions
successive
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Cite this Entry

“Successions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/successions. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on successions

Nglish: Translation of successions for Spanish Speakers

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