succession
noun
suc·ces·sion
sək-ˈse-shən 
1
2
a
: 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
3
a
: a number of persons or things that follow each other in sequence
b
: a group, type, or series that succeeds or displaces another
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
What that means is two-fold: a series that captures Game of Thrones’s extensive, fantasy world-building and the drama of political succession and a show dropping on HBO’s premier Sunday night spot that everyone wants to talk about the morning after.
—
Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 18 Nov. 2024
The ensuing weeks were marked by a succession of fawning interviews with laddish podcast hosts: Logan Paul, Theo Von, Joe Rogan.
—Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 6 Nov. 2024
Just 40 years old, Vance, a former Trump critic turned loyalist and top advocate for the president-elect’s right-wing populist movement, is now first in the presidential line of succession.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2024
If voters approve the change, then the line of succession would start with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, go next to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, then the state treasurer, the state auditor, and lastly the secretary of state.
—Caroline Beck, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Nov. 2024
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Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 18 Nov. 2024
The ensuing weeks were marked by a succession of fawning interviews with laddish podcast hosts: Logan Paul, Theo Von, Joe Rogan.
—Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 6 Nov. 2024
Just 40 years old, Vance, a former Trump critic turned loyalist and top advocate for the president-elect’s right-wing populist movement, is now first in the presidential line of succession.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2024
If voters approve the change, then the line of succession would start with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, go next to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, then the state treasurer, the state auditor, and lastly the secretary of state.
—Caroline Beck, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for succession
Dictionary Entries Near succession
Cite this Entry
“Succession.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/succession. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
succession
noun
suc·ces·sion
sək-ˈsesh-ən
1
: the order, action, or right of succeeding to a throne, title, or property
2
a
: a repeated following of one person or thing after another
b
: a series of one-way changes in the composition of a biological community in which one group of plants or animals is replaced by a different group
Legal Definition
succession
noun
suc·ces·sion
sək-ˈse-shən
1
a
: 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
2
a
: 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
: 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
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
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
4
a
: the continuance of a corporation's status as a legal person
perpetual corporate succession
b
: the act or process by which one corporation assumes ownership of another
documents…that all aim to prepare your company for its new owner's succession—Saul Berkowitz
Saul Berkowitz5
: the act or process by which one state takes over or follows upon another and becomes entitled to its rights and position in international law
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