Successor to vs. Successor of – Which is Correct?
Use “successor to” when naming the person, organization, or thing that follows another: “She became successor to the director.” “Successor of” is also grammatical, but it usually emphasizes the predecessor’s identity or historical sequence. In modern professional writing, “successor to” is the clearer, more natural choice for most sentences today.
Successor to or Successor of – Which is Correct?
Both successor to and successor of are valid English phrases, but successor to is generally the more idiomatic and widely preferred construction. Use it to identify the person or entity that takes over a position, role, title, office, or function.
For example, “Maria became the successor to the company’s founder” clearly states that Maria took over the founder’s role. The phrase successor of can also be correct, particularly when the sentence emphasizes the predecessor or presents a historical sequence: “The successor of King Edward continued the reforms.” However, many editors would still prefer “the successor to King Edward.”
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Think of to as pointing forward toward the position being inherited. A successor moves to a role: “the successor to the CEO.” Use of when you want to focus on the person or institution that came before, but remember that successor to is usually the safest choice in formal and professional writing.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| successor to | Noun phrase with preposition | A person or entity that takes over another’s role, position, or function | “He was appointed successor to the retiring chair.” |
| successor of | Noun phrase with preposition | A person or entity that follows or replaces a named predecessor | “The successor of the founder expanded the organization.” |
How to Use Successor to
Successor to is the standard construction for describing someone or something that replaces another person or entity in a specific position. It works with job titles, leadership roles, monarchies, businesses, products, systems, and institutions.
This phrase is especially common in formal, academic, business, legal, and journalistic writing. The noun usually appears with an article or possessive determiner, such as the successor to, a successor to, or her successor to.
Example 1: The board selected Elena as the successor to the retiring chief executive.
Example 2: This software is the successor to an older system that is no longer supported.
Example 3: The prince was widely regarded as the likely successor to the throne.
Etymology of the phrase successor to
Successor comes from the Latin successor, meaning “one who follows,” from succedere, meaning “to follow after” or “to take another’s place.” The preposition to highlights the destination or position that the new person or entity takes over.
How to Use Successor of
Successor of is grammatically correct, although it is usually less natural than successor to when discussing a replacement. It may be used when the writer wants to emphasize the predecessor’s identity, describe a historical chain, or maintain a particular formal style.
In many cases, replacing of with to makes the sentence sound more idiomatic. For example, “the successor of the president” is understandable, but “the successor to the president” is generally more conventional when referring to the person who takes over the presidency.
Example 1: The successor of the original founder adopted a more international strategy.
Example 2: Historians debated whether the successor of the ancient ruler continued his policies.
Example 3: The successor of the discontinued model offered improved safety features.
Etymology of the phrase successor of
The word successor has the same Latin origin in this phrase: successor, “one who follows.” The preposition of creates a relationship with the predecessor, so the phrase can place greater emphasis on who or what came before.
Related Concepts
Understanding prepositions and replacement language makes it easier to choose between these two phrases.
- Prepositions: Prepositions such as to and of show relationships between words. Although both can follow successor, they create slightly different emphasis.
- Predecessor: A predecessor is the person, organization, or thing that came before. The successor follows or replaces the predecessor.
- Replacement language: Words such as replace, take over from, and follow express a similar change in position or responsibility.
- Apposition: A phrase such as “Daniel, the successor to the founder” uses a noun phrase to provide additional information about Daniel.
Examples from Media and Literature
The phrase successor to appears frequently in historical writing, political reporting, business coverage, entertainment journalism, and discussions of technology.
- Historical writing: A biography may describe a monarch as “the successor to Queen Elizabeth I” when explaining the transfer of the crown.
- Political news: A report about a leadership transition may identify a candidate as “the likely successor to the prime minister.”
- Business journalism: Coverage of a corporate appointment may state that a new executive is “the successor to the company’s longtime chief executive.”
- Technology reviews: A product announcement may call a new device “the successor to last year’s flagship model.”
- Literary and historical commentary: An analysis of a royal or fictional dynasty may refer to “the successor to the throne” when discussing inheritance and political power.
Practice Exercises
Choose the correct phrase, successor to or successor of, to complete each sentence. In several cases, both may be grammatically possible, but choose the more natural option for standard professional English.
- The committee appointed Dr. Patel as the ______ the retiring director.
- The new aircraft is the ______ an earlier model that entered service in 2010.
- Historians studied the policies introduced by the ______ the former emperor.
- Investors wanted to know who would become the ______ the company’s chief executive.
- The novel follows the ______ the legendary king and explores the changing kingdom.
Answer Key
- successor to — This is the standard phrase for taking over a position.
- successor to — It identifies the new aircraft as the replacement for the earlier model.
- successor of — Here, the sentence emphasizes the predecessor and a historical sequence; “successor to” would also be acceptable.
- successor to — This is the clearest choice for a corporate leadership transition.
- successor to — The phrase naturally describes someone inheriting or taking over a role.
Successor to Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| replacement for | A person or thing that takes the place of another |
| heir to | A person entitled to inherit a position, title, property, or authority |
| next in line for | The person expected to receive a role or title next |
| one who follows | A person or thing that comes after another |
| next holder of | The person who will occupy a particular office or position afterward |
Successor of Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| follower of | A person or entity that comes after another in a sequence |
| replacement for | A person or thing that assumes another’s role |
| heir of | A person who inherits from a predecessor or previous holder |
| one who follows | A person or thing that appears after another chronologically |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “successor to” or “successor of” correct?
Both are grammatically correct, but successor to is usually the more natural and preferred phrase when referring to someone who takes over a role or position.
Question 2: Should I write “successor to the CEO” or “successor of the CEO”?
Write successor to the CEO in most professional contexts. It clearly identifies the person who will replace or follow the CEO.
Question 3: Can “successor of” ever be the better choice?
Yes. Successor of can be useful when emphasizing a predecessor or describing a historical sequence. Nevertheless, successor to will often sound smoother and more idiomatic.
Conclusion
Both successor to and successor of are valid, but successor to is the best general-purpose choice for describing someone or something that takes over a role, title, office, or function. Use successor of when historical emphasis on the predecessor makes it appropriate. Pro Tip: Choosing the more idiomatic phrase, especially in professional writing, strengthens clarity and protects your credibility.
