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Successor vs Follower - What's the difference?

successor | follower |

As nouns the difference between successor and follower

is that successor is a person or thing that immediately follows another in holding an office or title while follower is one who follows, comes after another.

successor

Alternative forms

* successour (obsolete)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A person or thing that immediately follows another in holding an office or title.
  • George W. Bush was successor to Bill Clinton as President of the US.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2012 , date=May 5 , author=Phil McNulty , title=Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=As Di Matteo celebrated and captain John Terry raised the trophy for the fourth time, the Italian increased his claims to become the permanent successor to Andre Villas-Boas by landing a trophy.}}
  • The next heir in order or succession.
  • A person who inherits a title or office.
  • (arithmetic, set theory) The integer, ordinal number or cardinal number immediately following another.
  • Synonyms

    * (l) (uncommon)

    Antonyms

    * predecessor

    follower

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (literally) One who follows, comes after another.
  • Something that comes after another thing.
  • One who is a part of master's physical group, such as a servant or retainer.
  • One who follows mentally, adherer to the opinions, ideas or teachings of another, a movement etc.
  • An imitator, who follows another's example
  • A pursuer.
  • A machine part receiving motion from another
  • A man courting a maidservant.
  • Young cattle.
  • A metal piece placed at the top of a candle to keep the wax melting evenly.
  • (Australian rules football) Any of the three players (the ruckman, ruck rover, and rover) who usually follow the ball around the ground rather than occupying a fixed position.
  • (colloquial, dated) A debt collector.
  • Antonyms

    * leader * precursor

    Derived terms

    * followership * nonfollower