succeed: intransitive/transitive

Question

He succeeded to fight back the bad guys. He succeeded the job. Are they OK?Thank you

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

He succeeded to fight back the bad guys. No. He succeeded in fighting back the bad guys.

He succeeded the job. No. He succeeded in the job.

Best wishes, Clive

Likeguslee · Answer

If you want to use “succeed” in the intransitive mode to express the meaning of “come next in line or succession, follow after another, replace another in an office or a position” then the correct preposition to use is “to”.

For examples

She succeeded to the throne. He succeeded to the job.

The quoted definition was excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition © 1996 by Houghton Mifflin Company.

BarbaraPA · Answer

I would agree in the throne example, but not in the job example, at least not in American English. It just doens't sound right. He succeeded Peter Smith in that position, perhaps, meaning he held it immediately after Peter.

Companies do have succession planning, meaning who will take a key position if the person currently in theh position leaves, but you still would not say "Barbara will success to the director's position." You would say "Who would succeed Nancy?"

succeed: intransitive/transitive

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