heir apparent
noun
an heir whose right is indefeasible, provided they survive their ancestor.
heirs apparent
-
pluralof heir apparent.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
Ray Dalio blew past his own 10-year timeline to give up control of Bridgewater Associates and went through numerous heirs apparent.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 1, 2026
The once heirs apparent and freshmen guards who were an afterthought in the regular-season opener four months ago are now fully entrenched in the driver’s seat of the Washington men’s basketball team.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 7, 2023
Other heirs apparent did, however, rise in the ranks.
From Slate ● Nov. 16, 2018
Like many heirs apparent, however, he never actually won the prize so long forecast to come his way.
From BBC ● Nov. 17, 2014
Henry called them the heirs apparent "of all the ages" and enjoyed them greatly.
From The Martial Adventures of Henry and Me by William Allen White
