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 All 33 of the booster’s engines started up successfully and completed a full-duration burn during ascent, per SpaceX. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Mar. 2024 As during the second flight, all 33 booster engines performed well during ascent, according to SpaceX. Initially, SpaceX plans to use the mammoth rockets to launch the company’s Starlink internet satellites, as well as other spacecraft. Marcia Dunn, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2024 Tiller’s tune began being teased on TikTok in January and has seen a steady ascent since, concurrent with its move into the top 20 of the Hot 100, jumping 22-19 on the latest ranking. Kevin Rutherford, Billboard, 14 Mar. 2024 But the expectation is that Purdy will maintain an impressive ascent — and prove worthy of a blockbuster contract extension, leaving little room to spend on a backup quarterback, again. Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2024 This unprecedented growth would be unusual for any company let alone a company that began its ascent with a $100B market cap. Joel Shulman, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 But another industry – marijuana – was in steady ascent. Peter Hecht, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2024 At the one-mile mark, the trail gets much steeper, and hikers will find wooden stairs that help make the ascent a little easier. Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Feb. 2024 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

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 29 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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