succeed

[ suhk-seed ]

See synonyms for: succeed succeeded succeeding succeeds on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object)

to happen or terminate according to desire; turn out successfully; have the desired result: Our efforts succeeded.
to thrive, prosper, grow, or the like: Grass will not succeed in this dry soil.

to accomplish what is attempted or intended: We succeeded in our efforts to start the car.
to attain success in some popularly recognized form, as wealth or standing: The class voted him the one most likely to succeed.
to follow or replace another by descent, election, appointment, etc. (often followed by to).
to come next after something else in an order or series.

verb (used with object)

to come after and take the place of, as in an office or estate.
to come next after in an order or series, or in the course of events; follow.

Origin of succeed

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English succeden from Old French succeder, from Latin succēdere “to go (from) under, follow, prosper,” equivalent to suc- suc- + cēdere “to go” (see cede)

synonym study For succeed

1-4. Succeed, flourish, prosper, thrive mean to do well. To succeed is to turn out well, to attain a goal: It is everyone's wish to succeed in life. To flourish is to give evidence of success or a ripe development of power, reputation, etc.: Culture flourishes among free people. To prosper is to achieve and enjoy material success: He prospered but was still discontented. Thrive suggests vigorous growth and development such as results from natural vitality or favorable conditions: The children thrived in the sunshine. 5. See follow.

Opposites for succeed

1-4	fail
8	precede

See antonyms for succeed on Thesaurus.com

Other words from succeed

suc·ceed·a·ble, adjective
suc·ceed·er, noun

Words Nearby succeed

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use succeed in a sentence

If anything called “Mustang” is to succeed as long into the future as the car’s history stretches into the past, it will be more like the Mach-E and less like any of the Mustangs that got us here.
Ford’s electric Mustang Mach-E is an important leap into the future | Dan Carney | February 12, 2021 | Popular-Science
He called it a testament to how much residents want to see Ward 8 businesses succeed.
Busboys and Poets to launch ‘streatery’ east of the Anacostia River | Michael Brice-Saddler | February 12, 2021 | Washington Post
He explained in his 350 BCE treatise On the Heavens that copies of an icosahedron “will not succeed in filling the whole.”
Undergraduates Hunt for Special Tetrahedra That Fit Together | Kevin Hartnett | February 9, 2021 | Quanta Magazine
Whether the Hope mission succeeds or not, its impact is already being felt.
The UAE’s Hope probe is about to arrive at Mars in a historic first | Neel Patel | February 9, 2021 | MIT Technology Review
Another critical takeaway is that once the work has succeeded, we have to make sure never to undermine it.
Smallpox used to kill millions of people every year. Here’s how humans beat it. | Kelsey Piper | February 5, 2021 | Vox

On Thursday, Garcetti ruled himself out of the race to succeed Boxer.
The Golden State Preps for the ‘Red Wedding’ of Senate Races | David Freedlander | January 9, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
I really wanted Trenchmouth to succeed and at the time wished we were as big as Green Day.
Coffee Talk with Fred Armisen: On ‘Portlandia,’ Meeting Obama, and Taylor Swift’s Greatness | Marlow Stern | January 7, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
Tyrangiel, 42, was considered a candidate to succeed Winkler.
Inside Bloomberg News’ Shock Shake-Up | Lloyd Grove | December 9, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
No one wanted them to succeed, not the cops, the heroes, not the villains.
Gail Simone’s Bisexual Catman and the ‘Secret Six’ | Rich Goldstein | December 6, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
These preliminary results give us hope that the project will succeed in the coming years.
The Secret to Tracking Ebola, MERS, and Flu? Sewers | Wudan Yan | November 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
But she did not succeed in finding a suitable studio, neither an instructor who pleased her, and she returned to Amsterdam.
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D. | Clara Erskine Clement
Sometimes a horseman may succeed in killing him by cutting across his undeviating course.
Hunting the Lions | R.M. Ballantyne
The danger is over for these others, but the poor youth who longed so greatly to succeed lies dead not far away.
Alila, Our Little Philippine Cousin | Mary Hazelton Wade
But if the "great public" will only tolerate one as a pupil long enough, eventually, one must succeed.
Music-Study in Germany | Amy Fay
The sailors tried to catch some with a hook and line, and were fortunate enough to succeed.
A Woman's Journey Round the World | Ida Pfeiffer

British Dictionary definitions for succeed

succeed

/ (səkˈsiːd) /

verb

(intr) to accomplish an aim, esp in the manner desired: he succeeded in winning
(intr) to happen in the manner desired: the plan succeeded

(intr) to acquit oneself satisfactorily or do well, as in a specified field: to succeed in publishing
(when intr, often foll by to) to come next in order (after someone or something)
(when intr, often foll by to) to take over an office, post, etc (from a person): he succeeded to the vice presidency
(intr usually foll by to) to come into possession (of property, etc); inherit
(intr) to have a result according to a specified manner: the plan succeeded badly
(intr) to devolve upon: the estate succeeded to his son

Origin of succeed

C15: from Latin succēdere to follow after, from sub- after + cēdere to go

Derived forms of succeed

succeedable, adjective
succeeder, noun
succeeding, adjective
succeedingly, adverb

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

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