in successive generations

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "in successive generations" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a process or phenomenon that occurs repeatedly over multiple generations, often in the context of inheritance, evolution, or cultural transmission. Example: "The tradition has been passed down in successive generations, preserving the family's heritage."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

These results show that salt-induced salt adaptation and salt-induced increases in HRF are transgenerational effects that generally do not persist in successive generations.

Plosone

In general, adaptive control parameters with different values during the optimization process in successive generations enrich the algorithm with controlled-randomness which enhances the global optimization performance of the algorithm in terms of exploration and exploitation capabilities.

Complex & Intelligent Systems

That connotes an artist who was once well known but has been forgotten in successive generations.

The New York Times - Arts

In the pedigree method superior types are selected in successive generations, and a record is maintained of parent progeny relationships.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The pasta was prepared by Miriam Leonardi, the 5th woman, in successive generations, to be running the kitchen of the Trattoria la Buca.

The New Yorker

The opportunities are magnetic enough to draw in successive generations of ambitious youth, not least from overseas, although the rate of churn will increase.

The Guardian

For such selection to act continuously in successive generations, Darwin also recognized that the variations had to be inherited, although he failed to fathom the mechanism of heredity.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Unlike maize, rice breeds true in successive generations, so farmers can retain seeds from one harvest and plant them for the next.

The Economist

Brian Warner, emeritus professor of astronomy, University of Cape Town, writes: There are many individuals in successive generations of professional astronomers who owe a great deal to the books and personal support of Patrick Moore.

The Guardian

Our bodies are made of oxygen, carbon, nitrogen and iron that had to be synthesized in thermonuclear reactions in successive generations of stars that went bang and seeded space and future stars with heavier elements.

The New York Times - Science

L-SHADE improves the performance of SHADE with linearly reducing the population size in successive generations.

Applied Soft Computing

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing inheritance patterns or the transmission of traits, use "in successive generations" to clearly indicate a pattern repeating across multiple generations.

Common error

Avoid using "successful" instead of "successive". "Successive" refers to a sequence, while "successful" means achieving a desired outcome. Therefore, using "successful" in this context would be incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "in successive generations" functions primarily as an adverbial phrase, modifying verbs or clauses to indicate the timeframe or scope of an action or phenomenon across multiple generations. Ludwig examples show usage in both science and general contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

63%

News & Media

28%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "in successive generations" is a prepositional phrase functioning as an adverbial modifier, indicating the occurrence of an event, trait, or condition across multiple generations. Ludwig AI confirms the grammatical correctness and widespread usage of the phrase, especially in scientific, news, and encyclopedic contexts. As highlighted by Ludwig, the phrase effectively describes inheritance, evolution, and cultural transmission. Related phrases include "across multiple generations" and "from generation to generation", each offering subtle variations in emphasis. When using this phrase, ensure that "successive" is not confused with "successful", and consider the specific context to best convey the intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

across multiple generations

Replaces "successive" with "multiple," emphasizing the quantity of generations.

in succeeding generations

"Succeeding" is a more formal synonym for "successive".

in following generations

This is a more straightforward alternative that focuses on the order of generations.

through ensuing generations

"Ensuing" adds a sense of time passing and the generations that follow.

over subsequent generations

"Subsequent" highlights the order of generations following one another.

from generation to generation

Focuses on the transfer or continuation between individual generations.

down through the generations

Emphasizes the passing of time and tradition from older to younger generations.

through descendant generations

Highlights the lineage and ancestry aspect of the generations involved.

in later generations

Focuses on generations that come after a specific point in time.

over the course of generations

Emphasizes the duration and long-term nature of the generational changes.

FAQs

How can I use "in successive generations" in a sentence?

You can use "in successive generations" to describe traits, traditions, or diseases that are passed down or observed repeatedly across multiple generations, as in "The skill has been honed "in successive generations" of the family".

What are some alternatives to saying "in successive generations"?

Alternatives include "across multiple generations", "from generation to generation", or "over subsequent generations", each subtly altering the emphasis.

Is there a difference between "in successive generations" and "across generations"?

While similar, "in successive generations" implies a step-by-step progression or a pattern repeating sequentially, whereas "across generations" is a broader term that simply means something is present or affects multiple generations, not necessarily in a specific order. For example, family wealth can be accumulated "across generations" and skills are honed "in successive generations".

When is it appropriate to use "in successive generations"?

Use "in successive generations" when you want to emphasize a recurring pattern, inheritance, or a gradual change that unfolds over multiple generations in a specific order. The sentence "Telomere lengths of mutation carriers "in successive generations" of the three largest kindreds show progressive telomere shortening" provides a real-world usage example.