successive

adjective

suc·​ces·​sive sək-ˈse-siv 

1

: following in order : following each other without interruption

their fourth successive victory

2

: characterized by or produced in succession

successively adverb

successiveness noun

Synonyms

• back-to-back
• consecutive
• sequent
• sequential
• straight
• succeeding
• successional

Examples of successive in a Sentence

a trait found in successive generations

made the honor roll for three successive school terms

Recent Examples on the Web

The judges scored the bout 49-46, 49-46, 49-45 for Zhang, who improved her record to 26 wins, three losses, and registered her third successive defense of the strawweight title. —Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 9 Feb. 2025

An occupying power’s transfer of its population to occupied territory is a war crime, in violation of Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, but successive Israeli governments have ignored that prohibition, and the U.S. government has kept billions of dollars of aid flowing anyway. —Kenneth Roth, TIME, 8 Feb. 2025

Follow the money: In the U.S., sustainable funds have now seen outflows for nine successive quarters. —Felix Salmon, Axios, 7 Feb. 2025

Two successive home losses have carried the stale tang of a side in need of a refresh and a veering between extremes. —George Caulkin, The Athletic, 5 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

successive

adjective

suc·​ces·​sive sək-ˈses-iv 

: following in order : following each other without interruption

failed in three successive tries

successively adverb

successiveness noun

Legal Definition

successive

adjective

suc·​ces·​sive sək-ˈse-siv 

1

a

: of or relating to succession

successive rights

b

: created by succession

2

: following in order : following each other without interruption

successive bankruptcy filings

3

: of, relating to, or being a petition for habeas corpus that raises a claim already adjudicated

successively adverb

successiveness noun