Succeed | Definition of succeed by Merriam-Webster

Full Definition of SUCCEED

intransitive verb

1

a : to come next after another in office or position or in possession of an estate; especially : to inherit sovereignty, rank, or title

b : to follow after another in order

2

a : to turn out well

b : to attain a desired object or end <students who succeed in college>

3

obsolete : to pass to a person by inheritance

transitive verb

1

: to follow in sequence and especially immediately

2

: to come after as heir or successor

— suc·ceed·er noun

See succeed defined for English-language learners

See succeed defined for kids

Examples of SUCCEED

Ghosh's remarkable detective work succeeds in rescuing an entire group of marginalized figures from British and South Asian amnesia, if not outright denial. —Maya Jasanoff, New York Review of Books, 18 Dec. 2008
Enter Gordon Brown. Journalistic legend has it that, over dinner in a trendy London restaurant as long ago as 1994, the two of them settled that Blair would lead the Labour party for an unspecified length of time and Brown would then succeed him. —David Pryce-Jones, National Review, 28 May 2007
Maguire, a freelance writer who specializes in culture and technology and recently published a book about spelling bees, paints a vivid portrait of Sullivan as a tough-minded micromanager who tightly controlled every aspect of his show, even telling Ella Fitzgerald what to sing. Behind the avuncular, slightly befuddled façade viewers knew, he writes, was a man consumed by ambition and driven to succeed at any cost. —Peter Keepnews, New York Times Book Review, 11 June 2006
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Origin of SUCCEED

Middle English succeden, from Anglo-French succeeder, from Latin succedere to go up, follow after, succeed, from sub- near + cedere to go — more at sub-

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to SUCCEED

Synonyms: click, come off, deliver, go, go over, pan out, work out, bear fruit, catch fire, deliver the goods, do the trick, go like clockwork, come into one's own, cut it, cut the mustard, get ahead, get somewhere, get there, hack it, hit it big, make good, make it, make one's mark, make the grade

Antonyms: bomb, collapse, fail, flop, flunk, fold, founder, miss, strike out, wash out

Synonym Discussion of SUCCEED

follow, succeed, ensue, supervene mean to come after something or someone. follow may apply to a coming after in time, position, or logical sequence <speeches followed the dinner>. succeed implies a coming after immediately in a sequence determined by natural order, inheritance, election, or laws of rank <she succeeded her father as head of the business>. ensue commonly suggests a logical consequence or naturally expected development <after the talk a general discussion ensued>. supervene suggests the following or beginning of something unforeseen or unpredictable <unable to continue because of supervening circumstances>.

Definition of SUCCEED for Kids

1

: to achieve a desired result : be successful <Half of them wanted me to mess up, and half of them wanted me to succeed. — Jack Gantos, Joey Pigza Loses Control>

2

: to turn out well <The plan succeeded.>

3

: to come after : follow <This new model of car succeeds the old one.>

4

: to come next after another person in office or position