succeed
succeed Lexical Profile
succeed Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To achieve a desired aim, purpose, or favorable outcome.
"After months of rigorous testing, the research team finally succeeded in developing a stable vaccine."
To take over an office, title, throne, or position after the previous holder.
"When the university president retired, the provost succeeded her as head of the institution."
To come after another thing in time, sequence, or order.
"A period of rapid economic growth succeeded the decade of industrial reform."
Word Nuance & Usage
When meaning 'to achieve a goal,' 'succeed' is an intransitive verb followed by 'in' plus a gerund (e.g., 'succeeded in passing the exam'), whereas when meaning 'to replace or follow in order,' it is primarily transitive (e.g., 'she succeeded him as director'). Do not confuse it with the near-homophone 'secede,' which means to formally withdraw from a federation or political union.
• Rhymes for succeed
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 14th century from Old French succeder and directly from Latin succedere ('to go under, follow after, take the place of, or turn out well'), formed from sub- ('under' or 'next to') and cedere ('to go' or 'to move').