heir apparent
noun
plural heirs apparent
1
: an heir whose right to an inheritance is indefeasible except by exclusion under a valid will if he or she survives the ancestor
2
3
: one whose succession especially to a position or role appears certain under existing circumstances
Examples of heir apparent in a Sentence
The coach named her assistant as her heir apparent.
Recent Examples on the Web
He had long been seen as the heir apparent to Hong Kong’s third richest family, which has businesses spanning industries from real estate and jewelry to energy and media.
—
Zinnia Lee, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024
In their wake, Dublin quartet U2 emerged as their heir apparent, with their socially conscious 1987 album The Joshua Tree becoming one of the most celebrated of the decade.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 4 Sep. 2024
Where does that leave Eason who was presumed to be the heir apparent to Brooks?
—Rahat Huq, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024
His elder sister, Princess Victoria, 47, is the heir apparent.
—Erin Hill, Peoplemag, 2 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for heir apparent 
Zinnia Lee, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024
In their wake, Dublin quartet U2 emerged as their heir apparent, with their socially conscious 1987 album The Joshua Tree becoming one of the most celebrated of the decade.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 4 Sep. 2024
Where does that leave Eason who was presumed to be the heir apparent to Brooks?
—Rahat Huq, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024
His elder sister, Princess Victoria, 47, is the heir apparent.
—Erin Hill, Peoplemag, 2 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for heir apparent
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'heir apparent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near heir apparent
Cite this Entry
“Heir apparent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heir%20apparent. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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