ascent

noun

as·​cent ə-ˈsent 

a-

1

a

: the act of rising or mounting upward : climb

completed their ascent of the mountain

b

: an upward slope or rising grade : acclivity

followed the steep ascent to the top of the hill

c

: the degree of elevation : inclination, gradient

2

: an advance in social status or reputation : progress

their ascent from the lower class to the middle class

3

: a going back in time or upward in order of genealogical succession

Synonyms

• ascension
• climb
• rise
• rising
• soar

Examples of ascent in a Sentence

They followed a steep ascent to the top of the hill.

our plane broke through some heavy low clouds during its ascent and leveled off once we were above them

Recent Examples on the Web

At the time, Alex Lowe was considered one of the best alpinists of his generation, establishing bold first ascents in Antarctica, Baffin Island, and in the Himalaya. —Corey Buhay, Outside Online, 15 Nov. 2024

Yet Harris' ascent to the White House has resonated deeply with local women who see her as a symbol of possibility. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024

Flanner, who was The New Yorker’s Paris correspondent for almost 50 years, thrillingly recounts Jeffries’s efforts to evade the Nazis on her trek to freedom, which include a harrowing nighttime river crossing before a mountain ascent to the relative safety of Spain. —Jared Sullivan, The Atlantic, 17 Oct. 2024

Tyler, the Creator has been one of the biggest names in hip-hop for nearly a decade and a half now, but his commercial performance and general stardom is still on the ascent. —Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

irregular from ascend

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

ascent

noun

as·​cent ə-ˈsent 

a-

1

: the act of rising or climbing up

began their ascent of the mountain

2

: an upward slope