succession

succession — noun

1. a group of similar events, individuals, or items that come one after another acr

1.nounB2
Definition

a group of similar events, individuals, or items that come one after another across some period of time

Example

A succession of visitors knocked at the door throughout the morning.

a succession of [plural noun] for a series of events

Quinn read a succession of cookbooks while learning to bake bread.

Common collocations
  • a succession of events
  • a succession of failures
  • a succession of visitors
  • long succession of
  • endless succession of
Synonyms
  • series

    broader — can be consecutive or non-consecutive; 'succession' always implies consecutive timing

  • sequence

    emphasizes logical or numerical order rather than mere timing

  • chain

    suggests each item is linked to the next, often in a cause-and-effect way

Grammar Patterns

a succession of [plural noun]

[number/quantity] + in succession

Usage Note

Often followed by 'of' plus a plural noun describing the items in the series. Unlike 'series', 'succession' strongly implies consecutive timing — the items follow one another without a meaningful gap.

Common Mistakes

There was a succession teacher came and went.
There was a succession of teachers who came and went.
'a succession of' must be followed by a noun phrase, not a clause.
We ate a succession meal.
We ate a succession of meals.
The word 'of' is required after 'succession' when listing the items.

2. used in the phrase 'in succession' to describe events that happen one right afte

2.nounB1
Definition

used in the phrase 'in succession' to describe events that happen one right after another without any interruption

Example

Jin won the national tennis tournament three years in succession.

[number] + [time period] + in succession

The factory produced faulty parts for a second day in succession.

Common collocations
  • in succession
  • three times in succession
  • days in succession
  • years in succession
  • quick succession
  • rapid succession
Synonyms
  • consecutively

    more formal; used in the same adverbial position (e.g. 'three days consecutively')

  • back-to-back

    informal and common in sports and business contexts

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

[number] + [noun] + in succession

[number] + in succession

Usage Note

Used only with a preceding number or quantity (e.g. 'three days in succession', 'second time in succession'). Cannot stand alone: ❌ 'The events happened in succession' without a number is non-standard in modern English — use 'one after another' instead.

Common Mistakes

They won in succession.
They won three times in succession.
A number or quantity is needed before the phrase.
The meetings happened in successive.
The meetings happened in succession.
'Succession' is the noun form; 'successive' is an adjective.

3. the process by which a person assumes a formal role, title, or office after the

3.nounB2
Definition

the process by which a person assumes a formal role, title, or office after the previous holder leaves or dies, particularly in royal families or political systems

Example

The queen's eldest son is first in the line of succession to the throne.

line of succession to the throne — royal inheritance

A bitter dispute over the succession led to a long civil war in the kingdom.

Common collocations
  • line of succession
  • succession to the throne
  • right of succession
  • order of succession
  • succession law
  • succession crisis
  • succession dispute
Synonyms
  • accession

    more specific — refers to the moment of taking the throne or office, not the overall process

  • inheritance

    broader — includes property and money, not just titles or positions

Antonyms
  • abdication

    the act of voluntarily giving up a throne or position

Grammar Patterns

succession to [title/throne/position]

line of succession

right of succession

Usage Note

Most commonly used in legal and political contexts involving monarchy, nobility, or high office. Frequently appears in the fixed expressions 'line of succession', 'right of succession', and 'order of succession'. The verb pattern is 'succeed to the throne/position'.

Common Mistakes

His succession as king was welcomed.
His succession to the throne was welcomed.
Use 'to' (not 'as') when referring to a title or position.
Who is in line for succession?
Who is in the line of succession?
The article 'the' and the word 'line' form part of the fixed expression.

4. the fixed pattern in which one event, step, or stage naturally follows another i

4.nounB2
Definition

the fixed pattern in which one event, step, or stage naturally follows another in a recognizable order

Example

The succession of seasons follows a predictable rhythm every year.

the succession of [plural noun] — natural pattern

In traditional dance routines, the succession of movements must be performed in the correct order.

Common collocations
  • the succession of seasons
  • the succession of generations
  • natural succession
  • orderly succession
Synonyms
  • sequence

    more common in everyday use for planned or logical order

  • order

    simpler and more general; 'succession' sounds more formal

Antonyms
  • disorder

    lack of any predictable pattern or order

Grammar Patterns

the succession of [plural noun]

Usage Note

This sense overlaps with sense 1 but emphasizes the expected or natural order of the sequence rather than the mere fact that items follow each other. Common with natural cycles, procedures, and logical progressions.

Common Mistakes

The succession of the ceremony was confusing.
The order of the ceremony was confusing.
For a single planned event, use 'order' or 'sequence' rather than 'succession'.

5. in ecology, the natural process by which one group of plants and animals living

5.nounC1
Definition

in ecology, the natural process by which one group of plants and animals living in an area is gradually replaced by another group until a stable balance is reached

Example

Ecological succession transformed the bare volcanic rock into a dense forest over several centuries.

ecological succession — technical term for ecosystem change

Diya studied the succession of plant species in the abandoned farmland for her biology project.

succession of [species] in a specific location

Common collocations
  • ecological succession
  • primary succession
  • secondary succession
  • plant succession
  • succession of species

Grammar Patterns

ecological succession

succession of [species/community]

Usage Note

A technical term in ecology and environmental science. Two main types exist: primary succession (on new land with no soil, like bare rock) and secondary succession (on land that previously supported life but was disturbed, like after a fire or flood). Not used outside scientific contexts.

Common Mistakes

The succession of forests was quick.
The ecological succession of the forest took many years.
In scientific writing, use the full term 'ecological succession' to avoid confusion with other meanings.
Idioms

in succession

idiom

one after another without any break or interruption; used with a number to show how many times something happens consecutively

It snowed for five days in succession, covering the entire town in a thick blanket of white.

The singer performed sold-out shows three nights in succession at the same venue.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe multiple items that follow one another, but they differ in emphasis and usage. 'Succession' focuses on consecutive timing — items happen one right after another, often with no gaps, and frequently in an expected or natural order (e.g. a succession of visitors throughout the morning). 'Sequence' emphasizes logical or numerical order — the items are arranged according to a system, pattern, or rule (e.g. the sequence of steps in a recipe). 'Series' is the broadest term: items are connected by a common theme or category, but they do not need to be consecutive (e.g. a series of lectures over several months). 'Chain' stresses link-by-link connection, where each item is directly tied to the next, often through cause and effect (e.g. a chain of events that led to the accident). Choose 'succession' when the core idea is consecutive timing; use 'sequence' when order matters; pick 'series' for a loose set of related items; and use 'chain' when each link depends on the previous one.

succession ↗sequence ↗series ↗chain ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • line of succession
  • order of succession
  • right of succession
  • succession plan
  • succession law
  • succession crisis
  • succession dispute
  • succession duty

Adverbs

  • in quick succession
  • in rapid succession
  • in close succession
  • in direct succession

Phrases

  • in succession
  • a succession of
  • line of succession
  • right of succession

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'successio' (a following after, a coming into another's place), derived from 'succedere' (to come after, to go up to), which is formed from 'sub-' (up to, after) and 'cedere' (to go, to yield). The word entered English through Old French 'succession' in the 14th century, first used for the inheritance of property or titles, and later broadened to any sequence of events.