ascend

verb

as·​cend ə-ˈsend 

ascended; ascending; ascends

intransitive verb

1

a

: to move upward

the balloon ascended

b

: to slope upward

The path ascends through the woods.

c

: to conduct nerve impulses toward or to the brain

an ascending somatosensory pathway

2

a

: to rise from a lower level or degree

ascend to power

b

: to go back in time or in order of genealogical succession

c

: to pass from lower to higher musical notes

C – E ascending

transitive verb

1

: to go or move up

ascend a staircase

2

: to succeed to : occupy

ascend the throne

ascendable adjective

or ascendible

ə-ˈsen-də-bəl 

Synonyms

• arise
• aspire
• climb
• lift
• mount
• rise
• soar
• thrust
• up
• uprear
• uprise
• upthrust
• upturn

Examples of ascend in a Sentence

They watched their balloons slowly ascend into the sky.

Divers must not ascend too rapidly to the water's surface.

She believed that when she died, her soul would ascend to heaven.

Several paths ascend to the top of the mountain.

stairs ascending to the attic

John Adams ascended to the presidency in 1797.

She worked as a clerk before ascending to her current position.

Recent Examples on the Web

But one photo of his that appeared in a 1996 Powder magazine article shows the team ascending the North Face Direct, to the climber’s left of the Japanese Couloir, confirming at least one attempt on the Hornbein. —Matt Coté, Outside Online, 28 Nov. 2024

Women are ascending to leadership roles in record numbers, according to McKinsey and LeanIn. —Cynthia Pong, Jd, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2024

His ascending Philadelphia Eagles defense mostly handled the Rams’ offense with ease, a throwback to a painful memory in McVay’s mind when Fangio set the blueprint for the defense that could stifle the high-flying Rams of 2018. —Jourdan Rodrigue, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024

Soon, Macrinus has ascended to the side of Emperor Caracalla and sweeps into a room full of senators shocked that the young man has named his pet capuchin to a military post. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 22 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin ascendere, from ad- + scandere to climb — more at scan

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing ascend

• ascend (to) the throne

Kids Definition

ascend

verb

as·​cend ə-ˈsend 

: to go up : climb, rise

ascend a hill

smoke ascends

ascendable adjective

or ascendible

-ˈsen-də-bəl 

Medical Definition

ascend

intransitive verb

as·​cend ə-ˈsend 

: to move upward: as

a

: to conduct nerve impulses toward or to the brain

nerve fibers that ascend to a nucleus of the brain

ascending and descending tracts

b

: to affect the extremities and especially the lower limbs first and then the central nervous system

ascending paralysis