suc ‧ ceed S3 W2 /səkˈsiːd/ BrE AmE verb
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ success , ↑ succession , ↑ successor ; adjective : ↑ successful ≠ ↑ unsuccessful , ↑ successive ; verb : ↑ succeed ; adverb : ↑ successfully ≠ ↑ unsuccessfully ]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: succedere 'to go up, follow after, succeed' , from sub- 'near' + cedere 'to go' ]
1 . [intransitive] to do what you tried or wanted to do:
She wanted to be the first woman to climb Mount Everest, and she almost succeeded.
succeed in doing something
Scientists claim they have succeeded in finding a cure for cancer.
Very few people succeed in losing weight and keeping it off.
► Do not say ‘succeed to do something’. Say succeed in doing something .
REGISTER
In everyday English, people often say they manage to do something rather than succeed in doing something:
▪
Eventually I managed to get the lid back on the box.
2 . [intransitive] to have the result or effect something was intended to have:
The drug therapy has not succeeded.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people often say that a method or treatment works rather than succeeds :
▪
We tried rebooting the computer, but that didn’t work.
3 . [intransitive] to do well in your job, especially because you have worked hard at it for a long time
succeed as
I’m not sure he has the determination to succeed as an actor.
succeed in
a woman who succeeded in politics
4 . [intransitive and transitive] to be the next person to take a position or job after someone else
succeed somebody as something
Reeves will succeed Segal as Speaker of the House.
succeed somebody to the throne (=to be the next king or queen after someone else)
Who will succeed him to the throne?
5 . [transitive] to come after or replace something else, especially another product:
This car is intended to succeed the popular Fiesta.
6 . nothing succeeds like success used to say that success often leads to even greater success
7 . only succeed in doing something used when someone does the opposite of what they intended to do:
It seems I’ve only succeeded in upsetting you.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ succeed in doing something
▪ succeed verb [intransitive] to do something you tried or wanted to do:
Will they succeed in winning the election?
|
He wanted to make her jealous, and he succeeded.
▪ manage verb [intransitive] to succeed in doing something difficult, after trying hard. Manage to do something is very commonly used instead of succeed in doing something in everyday English:
He finally managed to find an apartment near his office.
|
Don’t worry – I’m sure we’ll manage somehow.
▪ achieve verb [transitive] to succeed in doing something good or important:
She’s achieved a lot in the short time she’s been with the company.
|
If we are to achieve our goals, we have to plan properly.
▪ accomplish verb [transitive] formal to achieve something:
The government accomplished its objective of reducing violent crime.
|
What do you hope to accomplish this year?
▪ make it to be successful in your career, or to succeed in reaching a place or part of a competition:
Only a few people make it to the top and become professional singers.
|
We finally made it to Chicago.
|
Which two teams will make it to the final?
▪ pull off phrasal verb to succeed in doing something, especially when you could easily have not succeeded. Pull off sounds rather informal:
Italy pulled off a great victory over Germany.
|
I’d never performed on my own before, and wasn’t sure if I could pull it off.