ascent

noun

as·​cent ə-ˈsent How to pronounce ascent (audio)
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

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 Organizations such as Emily’s List use the same approach to making sure female candidates have money, and across the country, the almost-equal ascent of women continues. Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 The ascent was an easy 1,157 feet, granting us sweeping views of the island and Whalers Bay. Melissa McGibbon, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2024 Looking back, though, Saweetie says that, behind the scenes, the rapid ascent was difficult. Lakin Imani Starling, Allure, 29 Feb. 2024 The jury, meanwhile, is headed by actor Lupita Nyong’o, who was raised in Kenya and whose ascent to A-list status in Hollywood is a source of pride and inspiration for many up-and-coming African talents. Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 18 Feb. 2024 This remarkable ascent in Nvidia’s stock value has propelled the broader stock market to unprecedented levels, with the S&P 500 index breaking the 5,100-point barrier and the Nasdaq 100 index surpassing the 18,000-point threshold. Detroit Free Press, 24 Feb. 2024 To put in perspective just how rapid this ascent in data center revenues has been, this year’s $47.5 billion in revenue is 18% more than total revenues in the segment for the past five years combined. Beth Kindig, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 In this disunity, there are echoes of the late 1960s, when widespread rancor over the escalation of the Vietnam War doomed Lyndon Johnson’s presidency and fueled Richard Nixon’s ascent. Ross Barkan, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2024 Her rapid ascent in the basketball world led to the Atlanta Hawks appointing her Vice President of Player Personnel/Basketball Intelligence, solidifying her position as one of the highest-ranking women in NBA front-office roles. Shelby Stewart, Essence, 5 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ascent.' 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

irregular from ascend

First Known Use

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of ascent was in 1581

Dictionary Entries Near ascent

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

ascent

noun
as·​cent ə-ˈsent How to pronounce ascent (audio)
a-
1
: the act of rising or climbing up
began their ascent of the mountain
2
: an upward slope

More from Merriam-Webster on ascent

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