ascend

verb

as·​cend ə-ˈsend How to pronounce ascend (audio)
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

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 The Importance of Gradual Ascent High-altitude medicine experts and other physicians have known for decades that taking time to slowly ascend is the best way to prevent the development of altitude sickness. Brian Strickland, Discover Magazine, 9 Mar. 2024 A week earlier, the song ascended to the summit, becoming her ninth leader on the chart. Gary Trust, Billboard, 4 Mar. 2024 Share [Findings] Children, unlike adults, are resilient against the Pinocchio Illusion when their fingers are pulled upward in sync with a tone ascending from 700 to 1200 Hz. Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2024 After ascending to Congress in 1962, Roybal supported the appointment of Gilbert W. Lindsay to replace him and become the city’s first Black council member. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Scripts doing well ascend to the next level and garner more readers. Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 27 Feb. 2024 For those seeking employment, finding a job was easily achievable, and for those already employed, the opportunity to switch roles and ascend the career ladder appeared readily accessible. Stephen Miles, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 Flower, a hippie ghost who died in the 1960s and has haunted the country mansion ever since, ascended to heaven in the season two finale, broadcast May 11, 2023. Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 16 Feb. 2024 Under the canopy of the enormous olive tree that shades his home, Daniel Gerwin’s 11-year-old son ascends the tree’s gnarled trunk like an expert climber while his brother, 7, reads a book a few feet away inside the house. Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2024

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.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of ascend was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near ascend

Cite this Entry

“Ascend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ascend. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ascend

verb
as·​cend ə-ˈsend How to pronounce ascend (audio)
: to go up : climb, rise
ascend a hill
smoke ascends
ascendable adjective
or ascendible

Medical Definition

ascend

intransitive verb
as·​cend ə-ˈsend How to pronounce ascend (audio)
: 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

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