Meaning & use
ascend
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Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitiveformal
To go up, such as a staircase, hill, or into the air.
Grammar: With an object: ascend the stairs; without one: the balloon ascended slowly.
Patterns
- ascend something
- ascend to something
The hikers ascended the ridge before sunrise.
The elevator ascended smoothly to the top floor.
Smoke ascended from the chimney.
verbintransitiveformalfigurative
To rise to a higher rank, level, or position of power.
Grammar: Usually followed by to: ascend to the throne.
Patterns
- ascend to something
She ascended to the post of chief executive at forty.
The prince ascended to the throne after his father died.
He ascended quickly through the ranks.
verbintransitive
To slope or rise upward, as of a road or musical notes.
Grammar: Describes the shape of something, with no object: the path ascends steeply.
Patterns
- ascend steeply
The trail ascends steeply beyond the lake.
The melody ascends by steps in the final bars.
Word forms
| third person singular | ascends |
|---|---|
| past tense | ascended |
| past participle | ascended |
| -ing form | ascending |
Common combinations
- ascend a mountain
- They ascended the mountain in six hours.
- ascend the throne
- The queen ascended the throne in 1952.
- ascend to power
- He ascended to power after the election.
- ascend the stairs
- She ascended the stairs slowly.
- ascend into the sky
- The rocket ascended into the sky.
- ascend steadily
- The aircraft ascended steadily.
Synonyms and how they differ
- climb
- Climb is the everyday word and suggests effort, while ascend is more formal and neutral.
- rise
- Rise needs no effort or path and can describe prices, sun, or smoke, while ascend often has a clear route.
- mount
- Mount suggests getting on or up something, such as a horse or stairs, more directly than ascend.
- soar
- Soar means to rise high and fast, often with ease, which is stronger than ascend.
Opposites
Word family
- ascent noun
- the act of going up
- ascending adjective
- going up
- ascendant adjective
- rising in power or influence
- ascendancy noun
- a position of power over others
Commonly confused: ascend or assent? ascend or descend?
ascend vs assent
Assent means to agree, and sounds similar to ascent, the noun of ascend.
ascend vs descend
Descend is the opposite, meaning to go down.
Practice
After the king died, his daughter ___ to the throne.
Choose one answer.
Ascend to the throne means to become ruler. Assented means agreed, which does not fit with to the throne.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “ascend”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.