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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
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.
Simpson started only 15 games at Alabama before the Rams ostensibly made him the eventual heir apparent to Matthew Stafford.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 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
Vinicius Junior is the one they look to now, the heir apparent, the winger most likely to propel them forward.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026
Saddam Haftar, widely seen as his heir apparent, serves as deputy commander of the LNA, while another son, Khaled, is chief of staff.
From Barron's ● May 26, 2026
Instead the Fowl heir apparent crossed to the monitor wall and followed developments from there.
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
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.
