predecessor – n. something that comes before something else

ambassador-at-large – n. an ambassador with special duties, not appointed to one country

doom – v. to make (someone or something) sure to fail, suffer or die

sticking together – phrasal verb to continue to support each other

overshadow – v. to be more important that something else.

absence – n. a period of time when someone is not present at a place, job, etc.

according to – prepositional phrase as stated, reported, or recorded by (someone or something)