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Synonyms

heir apparent

American  
[air uh-pair-uhnt, uh-par-] / ˈɛər əˈpɛər ənt, əˈpær- /

noun

plural

heirs apparent

  1. an heir whose right is indefeasible, provided they survive their ancestor.

  2. a person whose succession to a position appears certain.

    His popularity makes him the chief 's heir apparent.
heir apparent British  

noun

  1. property law a person whose right to succeed to certain property cannot be defeated, provided such person survives his ancestor Compare heir presumptive

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • heir apparency noun

Etymology

Origin of heir apparent

First recorded in 1325–75 Middle English

Compare meaning

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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.

Once a relatively obscure royal, he outmaneuvered older cousins and purged rivals to become heir apparent as the health of his father, King Salman, declined.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

New England’s Drake Maye, 23, was also the No. 3 in his draft class two years ago, becoming the heir apparent to Brady.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 7, 2026

His raw potential soon attracted sponsors, with marquee brands such as Nike and Rolex rushing to sign up Nadal's heir apparent.

From Barron's • Jan. 31, 2026

So now the man once seen as the heir apparent to Tom Brady will face the legendary quarterback's eventual successor, Drake Maye, for a place in Super Bowl 60.

From BBC • Jan. 22, 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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.