heir apparent
Americannoun
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heirs apparent
plural
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an heir whose right is indefeasible, provided they survive their ancestor.
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a person whose succession to a position appears certain.
His popularity makes him the chief 's heir apparent.
noun
Other Word Forms
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Nouns
Etymology
Origin of heir apparent
First recorded in 1325–75 Middle English
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Young Arthur was dead, his father was a witness, Ferris was regarded by the police as the heir apparent to Arthur Thompson Sr.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
Real Madrid’s Mbappé is the most obvious heir apparent to the mantle of “greatest in the game.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
Sam Mehta, the new CEO, was the heir apparent before his former boss’s sudden exit, said Bancroft, who notes the succession was merely pulled forward.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
Then, the hosts discuss succession at JPMorgan now that CEO Jamie Dimon’s latest heir apparent, Marianne Lake, has left the company.
From Slate ● Jun. 27, 2026
Robby Edmondson’s tenth-grade sister and heir apparent, Lindsay, puts microphones on the cast and does sound checks.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
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