successor
gb/səksˈɛsɚ/ us/səksˈɛsɚ/
B2
English
~ 5200
utód, jogutód, utódállam, rákövetkező
NOUN
B2
1
utód
B1
Usage pattern:
[someone] is the successor to [someone]
She was seen as the natural successor to the outgoing CEO.
Őt tartották a távozó vezérigazgató természetes utódjának.
After the king died, his eldest son became his successor.
A király halála után a legidősebb fia lett az utódja.
The party is still searching for a successor to the long‑serving leader.
He has been groomed for years as the chairman’s eventual successor.
As vice president, she is the constitutional successor to the president.
Learner examples
The manager retired, and his assistant became his successor.
A vezető nyugdíjba ment, és az asszisztense lett az utódja.
People think she will be the successor to the famous singer.
Sokan úgy gondolják, hogy ő lesz a híres énekes utódja.
He is the clear successor to the team captain.
They chose a young doctor as the old doctor’s successor.
Who will be the successor to the current president?
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "successor" with "success" or "successful" because of the similar spelling. "Successor" is a noun for a person who comes after another in a job or role. Another common mistake is using the wrong preposition; the usual pattern is "successor to" someone or something, not "successor of" in modern English.
Meaning
person who replaces someone
Collocations
designated successor
|rightful successor
|immediate successor
|natural successor
|political successor
|successor to the throne
Synonyms
replacement (Focuses on someone taking over a role or function, but is more general and less tied to an official line of people.)
|
heir (Often used for someone who inherits property or a title, especially in families or monarchies, not for ordinary jobs.)
Antonyms
predecessor (Refers to the person who had the job, role, or position before the current one, the opposite direction in time.)
Themes
work
|politics
|society
|relationships
Definition
A person who has a job, role, or title after another person and takes their place.
A person who takes over a job, position, role, or title after someone else, especially in an official or recognized way.
NOUN
B2
2
utód
B1
Usage pattern:
[something] is the successor to [something]
The new model is the direct successor to last year’s phone.
Az új modell a tavalyi telefon közvetlen utódja.
Many fans were disappointed with the game’s successor, which felt rushed.
Sok rajongó csalódott volt a játék utódjában, mert elkapkodottnak tűnt.
The act serves as a modern successor to the 19th‑century law.
Its successor will feature a larger screen and a faster processor.
The software’s successor finally fixed many long‑standing bugs.
Learner examples
This car is the successor to the 2018 model.
Ez az autó a 2018-as modell utódja.
The company will release a successor to this phone next year.
A vállalat jövőre kiadja ennek a telefonnak az utódját.
The new law is the successor to the old tax law.
People are already talking about the successor to this popular app.
The designer is working on a successor to the first game.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes describe a new product as "the next version of" without using "successor". While that is correct, they should also learn the common pattern "successor to" when talking about product lines. Also, avoid saying "successor from"; the correct preposition is "to".
Meaning
later version of something
Collocations
successor product
|successor model
|successor version
|successor smartphone
|direct successor
|official successor
Synonyms
replacement (Neutral and general; does not always imply a clear sequence or family of versions.)
|
follow‑up (Often used for books, movies, or projects; can suggest continuation rather than formal replacement.)
Antonyms
predecessor (Refers to the earlier product, system, or version that comes before the current one.)
Themes
technology
|business
|law
Definition
A new product, system, or law that comes after and takes the place of an older one of the same kind.
A thing such as a product, system, law, or version that comes after and replaces an earlier one of the same type.
NOUN
C1
FORMAL
3
Usage pattern:
[organization] is the successor to [organization]
The Czech Republic and Slovakia emerged as successor states to Czechoslovakia.
Csehország és Szlovákia Csehszlovákia utódállamaiként jöttek létre.
Any liabilities will transfer to the successor company after the merger.
Az egyesülés után minden kötelezettség a jogutód társaságra száll át.
As the legal successor to the foundation, the charity inherited all its assets.
The treaty clearly defines which country is the successor state.
The new corporation acts as the successor organization for all contractual purposes.
Learner examples
The new company is the legal successor to the old one.
Az új cég a régi cég jogutódja.
After the country broke up, three small states became its successor states.
Az ország felbomlása után három kisebb utódállam jött létre a helyén.
The successor organization must follow the old contracts.
The law describes the rights of a successor company.
The bank is the successor to a smaller local firm.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use only "new company" or "new country" and miss the legal meaning of "successor" here. In formal texts, "successor state" or "successor company" can imply specific legal responsibilities, not just something new.
Meaning
entity taking over legal role
Collocations
successor state
|successor company
|successor organization
|legal successor
|successor entity
|corporate successor
Synonyms
successor entity (More technical and explicit; often used in legal and financial documents.)
|
heir (Can be used metaphorically for countries or organizations inheriting power or tradition, but is less precise in legal contexts.)
Antonyms
predecessor state (In international law, refers to the earlier state whose rights and duties are taken over by the successor state.)
Themes
business
|law
|politics
Definition
A company, group, or country that takes the place of another one and keeps its legal rights and duties.
An organization, company, or state that takes over and continues the legal identity, rights, and responsibilities of another that has ended, merged, or changed.
NOUN
C2
TECHNICAL
4
rákövetkező
C1
Usage pattern:
the successor of [a number or element]
In the natural numbers, the successor of 3 is 4.
A természetes számok körében a 3 rákövetkezője a 4.
The successor function maps each integer to its immediate successor.
A rákövetkező-függvény minden egész számhoz a közvetlen rákövetkezőjét rendeli.
Every non‑zero ordinal has a unique successor ordinal.
We define the successor of n as n + 1.
This sequence has no maximum, so every element has a successor.
Learner examples
In this list of numbers, 6 is the successor of 5.
Ebben a számlistában a 6 az 5 rákövetkezője.
For natural numbers, the successor of n is n plus one.
A természetes számoknál az n rákövetkezője n + 1.
The teacher asked, "What is the successor of 9?"
In this order, each item has a successor and a predecessor.
The successor of 10 is 11.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that in mathematics "successor" has a precise technical meaning and is not just a general word for something that comes later.
Meaning
next number or element
Collocations
successor function
|successor ordinal
|successor cardinal
|immediate successor
|successor operation
|successor relation
Synonyms
next element (Plain description often used in teaching; less formal than the specialized term "successor".)
Antonyms
predecessor (In mathematics, the element that comes immediately before a given one in an ordered set.)
Themes
mathematics
|science
|education
Definition
In math, the next number or item in a list where the things are in order.
In mathematics and logic, the element in an ordered set, especially a number, that comes immediately after a given element.
Grammar
Dictionary form
successor
IPA
GB/səksˈɛsɚ/
US/səksˈɛsɚ/
Syllables & stress
suc - cessor (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (cessor)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: successor
- Plural: successors
Word family
Forms
successors
noun
Core family
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
Expressions
natural successor
1/nˈæt͡ʃɚəl səksˈɛsɚ/
fixed phrase
obvious choice to follow
A person or thing that clearly seems to be the best or most expected one to come after another.
Examples
- With his experience, he was the natural successor to the head coach.
- Many saw the new model as the natural successor to the bestselling phone.
- She has become the natural successor to her mentor in the company.
rightful successor
1/ɹˈaɪtfəl səksˈɛsɚ/
fixed phrase
legitimate person to take over
A person who is the correct or fair person to have a job, role, or title after someone else.
Examples
- Many fans consider her the rightful successor to the legendary star.
- He claimed to be the rightful successor to the throne.
- The board agreed that she was the rightful successor to the founder.
spiritual successor
1/spˈɪɹɪt͡ʃuəl səksˈɛsɚ/
fixed phrase
unofficial continuation of a work
A new game, movie, book, or product that is not an official sequel but feels like it continues the same style or ideas as an older one.
Examples
- The film is often described as a spiritual successor to the director’s first hit.
- Fans see this indie game as a spiritual successor to the classic series.
- The show acts as a spiritual successor to the popular 1990s sitcom.
successor to
1/səksˈɛsɚ tə/
fixed phrase
takes over from another
Used to say that a person or thing comes after another and takes that person’s job, role, or place.
Examples
- She is widely seen as the successor to the current prime minister.
- The new console is the long‑awaited successor to the company’s first gaming system.
- The firm emerged as the main successor to the collapsed bank.