a thing or person that immediately replaces something or someone
"The new manager became the immediate successor to the retiring CEO."
A person or thing that immediately follows another in holding an office or title.
"The new manager was appointed as the immediate successor to the retired CEO."
In plain English: A successor is someone who takes over a job, role, or position after another person leaves it.
"The new manager became the immediate successor to her predecessor after she retired."
Usage: Use successor to describe the specific individual who directly takes over a role, position, or leadership after someone else leaves it. Avoid using this word for general followers or those who come later without immediate succession.
The word entered English from Anglo-Norman as successour, which was borrowed directly from the Latin successor. It originally referred to someone who follows another in a position or office, retaining this core meaning today.