succession
noun
suc·ces·sion
| \ sək-ˈse-shən
\
\
Definition of succession
1a
: the order in which or the conditions under which one person after another succeeds to a property, dignity, title, or throne
b
: the right of a person or line to succeed
c
: the line having such a right
2a
: the act or process of following in order : sequence
b(1)
: the act or process of one person's taking the place of another in the enjoyment of or liability for rights or duties or both
(2)
: the act or process of a person's becoming beneficially entitled to a property or property interest of a deceased person
c
: the continuance of corporate personality
d
: unidirectional change in the composition of an ecosystem as the available competing organisms and especially the plants respond to and modify the environment
3a
: a number of persons or things that follow each other in sequence
b
: a group, type, or series that succeeds or displaces another
Keep scrolling for more
Other Words from succession
successional
\ sək-ˈsesh-nəl
, -ˈse-shə-nᵊl \
adjective
, -ˈse-shə-nᵊl \
adjective
successionally
adverb
Examples of succession in a Sentence
As third in the line of succession, she would only become queen if her brothers both died or became ineligible.
Recent Examples on the Web
All of the public spats in such a short succession don’t speak to someone who’s in control of his actions. — Greg Moore, azcentral, "Former ASU linebacker Vontaze Burfict tried to restrain Antonio Brown, report says," 5 Sep. 2019 But in this last gasp of the 40-man September roster, the Red Sox will join the increasing number of teams committed to slogging through an endless succession of pitching changes in the season’s final month. — Alex Speier, BostonGlobe.com, "Expanded bullpen could make for endless games down the stretch," 4 Sep. 2019 But Monday's appointment still cleared up the succession questions that always intrigue investors and Wall Street analysts. — Brian Stelter, CNN, "AT&T makes WarnerMedia boss John Stankey the presumptive successor to its CEO," 3 Sep. 2019 That involves a whole lot of quick costume changes, some in rapid-fire split-second succession onstage. — Sam Hurwitt, The Mercury News, "Review: TheatreWorks delivers madcap comedy ’39 Steps’ with a sure hand," 26 Aug. 2019 My skin crawled when a cluster of balloons popped in succession 10 feet away from me. — Soleil Ho, SFChronicle.com, "What it’s like to feel fear while attending festivals in 2019," 12 Aug. 2019 Meanwhile scientists who analyzed large, transnational data and compared different families with each other have found the effect of sibling succession on personality disappears almost completely. — Corinna Hartmann, Scientific American, "Does Birth Order Affect Personality?," 8 Aug. 2019 The Tories pride themselves on sensible, ruthless successions. — Sam Knight, The New Yorker, "Rory Stewart, the Insurgent Candidate for Prime Minister, Soars Up and Out," 19 June 2019 Within moments gunshots could be heard in rapid succession. — Kirk Mitchell, The Denver Post, "Video shows Colorado Springs police shoot De’Von Bailey in the back as he runs away," 15 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'succession.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for succession
succession
noun
English Language Learners Definition of succession
: the act of getting a title or right after the person who had that title or right before you has died or is no longer able or allowed to have it
also
: the process by which this happens
: a series of people or things that come one after the other
See the full definition for succession in the English Language Learners Dictionary
succession
noun
suc·ces·sion
| \ sək-ˈse-shən
\
\
Kids Definition of succession
1
: a series of people or things that follow one after another
A succession of police cars raced past.
2
: the order, act, or right of succeeding to a throne, title, or property
succession
noun
suc·ces·sion
| \ sək-ˈse-shən
\
\
Legal Definition of succession
1a
: the order in which or the conditions under which one person after another succeeds to a property, dignity, position, title, or throne
the sequence of succession to the presidency
b
: the right of a person or line of ancestry to succeed
c
: the line of ancestry having such a right
2a
: the act or process of following in order
b
: the act or process of one person's taking the place of another in the enjoyment of or liability for rights or duties or both
3
: the act or process by which a person becomes entitled to the property or property interest of a deceased person and especially an intestate : the transmission of the estate of a decedent to his or her heirs, legatees, or devisees
also
: the estate of the deceased including assets and liabilities
—used chiefly in the civil law of Louisiana
—
intestate succession
1
: the transmission of property or property interests of a decedent as provided by statute as distinguished from the transfer in accordance with the decedent's will
also
: the operation of such statutory provisions in transmitting intestate property
would take the property by intestate succession
2
in the civil law of Louisiana
: property that is not disposed of by will but by operation of statute
who presents himself to claim an intestate succession — Louisiana Civil Code
—
testate succession
: the transmission of property in accordance with a valid will
—
vacant succession
in the civil law of Louisiana
: an estate that has not been claimed, of which the heirs are unknown, or that has been renounced by all of the heirs