heir apparent

[air uh-pair-uhnt, uh-par-] / ˈɛər əˈpɛər ənt, əˈpær- /

NOUN

person expected to take over

Synonyms

STRONGEST

crown prince

WEAK

apparent heir heir expectant

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Instead of adding a player who could be an immediate contributor to their Super Bowl aspirations, the Rams drafted Matthew Stafford heir apparent Ty Simpson.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026

I had an informal meeting with him in the UK recently and I asked him then whether he really was heir apparent to the Apple throne.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

Once a relatively obscure royal, he outmaneuvered older cousins and purged rivals to become heir apparent as the health of his father, King Salman, declined.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

Lew welcomed the chance to have an heir apparent.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 21, 2026

In the four years since Mills had joined the Rad Lab, he had emerged as Ernest’s heir apparent.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik