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Succeed vs Prevail - What's the difference?

succeed | prevail |

As verbs the difference between succeed and prevail

is that succeed is to follow in order; to come next after; hence, to take the place of while prevail is to be superior in strength, dominance, influence or frequency; to have or gain the advantage over others; to have the upper hand; to outnumber others.

succeed

English

Alternative forms

* succede (dated)

Verb

(en verb)
  • To follow in order; to come next after; hence, to take the place of.
  • The king's eldest son succeeds his father on the throne.
    Autumn succeeds summer.
  • To obtain the object desired; to accomplish what is attempted or intended; to have a prosperous issue or termination; to be successful.
  • (obsolete, rare) To fall heir to; to inherit.
  • So, if the issue of the elder son succeed before the younger, I am king.
  • To come after; to be subsequent or consequent to; to follow; to pursue.
  • * Sir Thomas Browne
  • Destructive effects succeeded the curse.
  • * 1919 ,
  • Her arms were like legs of mutton, her breasts like giant cabbages; her face, broad and fleshy, gave you an impression of almost indecent nakedness, and vast chin succeeded to vast chin.
  • To support; to prosper; to promote.
  • * Dryden
  • Succeed my wish and second my design.
  • To come in the place of another person, thing, or event; to come next in the usual, natural, or prescribed course of things; to follow; hence, to come next in the possession of anything; -- often with to.
  • # To ascend the throne after the removal the death of the occupant.
  • To descend, as an estate or an heirloom, in the same family; to devolve.
  • To go under cover.
  • Antonyms

    * (follow in order) precede * fail, fall on one's face

    Derived terms

    * nothing succeeds like success * succedent * succeedingly

    prevail

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To be superior in strength, dominance, influence or frequency; to have or gain the advantage over others; to have the upper hand; to outnumber others.
  • Red colour prevails in the Canadian flag.
  • * , Exodus 17:11
  • And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed'; and when he let down his hand, Amalek ' prevailed .
  • To be current, widespread or predominant; to have currency or prevalence.
  • In his day and age, such practices prevailed all over Europe.
  • To succeed in persuading]] or [[induce, inducing.
  • I prevailed on him to wait.

    Derived terms

    * cooler heads will prevail

    References

    * *