ascended; ascending; ascends
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
1
: to go or move up
ascend a staircase
2
: to succeed to : occupy
ascend the throne
Synonyms
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
Similar Reads Safe streets and being able to commute to school and work are important, but other factors determine a great bike town, like the number of dirt trails and mountains nearby to ascend.
—
Graham Averill, Outside Online, 12 Aug. 2024
The senator plans to remain a strong advocate for Harris and is already mentioned for possible Cabinet posts or other prominent roles should the vice president ascend to the Oval Office.
—Gabriel Sandova, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2024
Steps just outside the primary bedroom ascend to an entertainment-ready roof deck, which has an outdoor kitchen with an Ooni Koda pizza oven, a garden, an electric retractable awning, and views of One World Trade Center.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 7 Aug. 2024
In a remarkable two-week period, Walz ascended from a third-tier candidate to a final contender in the view of Harris and her vetting team.
—Cnn, The Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ascend 
Graham Averill, Outside Online, 12 Aug. 2024
The senator plans to remain a strong advocate for Harris and is already mentioned for possible Cabinet posts or other prominent roles should the vice president ascend to the Oval Office.
—Gabriel Sandova, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2024
Steps just outside the primary bedroom ascend to an entertainment-ready roof deck, which has an outdoor kitchen with an Ooni Koda pizza oven, a garden, an electric retractable awning, and views of One World Trade Center.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 7 Aug. 2024
In a remarkable two-week period, Walz ascended from a third-tier candidate to a final contender in the view of Harris and her vetting team.
—Cnn, The Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ascend
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ascend.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near ascend
Cite this Entry
“Ascend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ascend. Accessed 22 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ascend
verb
as·cend
ə-ˈsend 
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share