VocabularyBasePractice words

Meaning & use

climbing to the top

phrase·Everydayfigurative

Last updated

UK/ˈklaɪmɪŋ tə ðə ˈtɒp/
US/ˈklaɪmɪŋ tə ðə ˈtɑːp/

Meanings

  1. phrasefixed phrasefigurative

    the process of gradually reaching the highest position in a career, sport, or organization.

    Grammar: Used as a noun phrase: climbing to the top takes years. Also after be: she is climbing to the top.

    Patterns

    • climbing to the top of something
    • somebody's climb to the top
    • climbing to the top in something

    Her climbing to the top of the company took fifteen years of hard work.

    The documentary follows three young athletes climbing to the top of their sport.

  2. phrasefixed phrase

    literally moving upward to reach the highest point of something, such as a mountain or a building.

    Grammar: Used when the physical movement is meant: we spent the morning climbing to the top.

    Patterns

    • climbing to the top of something

    The hikers were exhausted after climbing to the top of the ridge.

    Climbing to the top of the tower takes about twenty minutes.

Common combinations

climbing to the top of the ladder
He sees his new job as another step in climbing to the top of the ladder.
a long climb to the top
It has been a long climb to the top for the small family business.
climbing to the top of the charts
Their single is climbing to the top of the charts this week.
climbing to the top of the mountain
They were climbing to the top of the mountain when the storm began.

Synonyms and how they differ

rising to the top
Very similar, but often suggests a smoother or faster rise than the effortful image of climbing.
making it to the top
Focuses on the final success rather than the process of getting there.

Opposites

falling to the bottom

Word family

climb verb
to move upward, or to make progress toward a higher position.
climber noun
a person who climbs, especially mountains, or who tries to rise in status.

Commonly confused: climbing to the top or climbing the ladder?

climbing to the top vs climbing the ladder

A related idiom about advancing step by step in a career; climbing to the top stresses reaching the very highest point.

Practice

After years of hard work, she finally reached the highest position in her profession. Which phrase best describes this?

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “climbing to the top”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words