English Reference
verb · adjective

succeeding

v. · adj.
US /səkˈsidɪŋ/ UK /səksˈiːdɪŋ/ suc·ceed·ing

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    v.the act of reaching a goal or doing what you tried to do.

    v.the present participle of 'succeed', referring to the attainment of a desired aim or result.

    Simple

    She is finally succeeding in her new job after a difficult start.

    In context

    The startup is currently succeeding in securing venture capital, despite the volatile nature of the current tech market.

    Usage

    Usually takes the preposition 'in' followed by a noun or gerund.

    Pitfall
    He is succeeding to win the race. He is succeeding in winning the race.

    The verb 'succeed' is followed by the preposition 'in' and a gerund, not an infinitive.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    v.coming after someone or something else in a sequence or job.

    v.the present participle of 'succeed', meaning to follow in order or to take over a position from a predecessor.

    Simple

    The vice president is succeeding the president after the election.

    In context

    By succeeding his father as head of the firm, he inherited both a vast fortune and a series of complex legal disputes.

    Usage

    Transitive when referring to taking over a position or title.

    followingreplacingsuperseding
  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.coming after something else in time or order.

    adj.following in order or coming next after something else; typically used in an attributive position before a noun.

    Simple

    The team won the championship this year and for the three succeeding years.

    In context

    Each succeeding generation faces a unique set of environmental challenges that their ancestors could scarcely have imagined.

I see several reasons why the White House will have a hard time succeeding in court this time, too.

The Conversation· 26 Aug 2026

In terms of mentality and self‑belief, succeeding a World Cup winner at a Champions League club will not be an issue.

The Guardian· 19 Aug 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated