1
as in climb
the act or an instance of rising or climbing up
our plane broke through some heavy low clouds during its ascent and leveled off once we were above them
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hill
an upward slope
we'd reached the final ascent of the trail to the summit
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in promotion
a raising or a state of being raised to a higher rank or position
his long, gradual ascent into the ranks of management
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ascent
The socialist organization has been ascending since Bernie Sanders’s failed 2016 presidential run (Sanders is a lowercase d and s democratic socialist, not a member of the DSA)—an ascent that was punctuated by actual DSA member Zohran Mamdani’s New York City mayoral win last year.
—
Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 6 May 2026
But with the ascent of generative AI products such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, investors have become rabid about betting on companies that benefit from the trend.
—Jordan Novet, CNBC, 4 May 2026
The takeover bid follows the surprising ascent of GameStop, a chain of video game outlets that shrank its brick-and-mortar footprint after gamers increasingly bought software in digital stores.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 4 May 2026
On Monday night, extravagantly dressed celebrities and designers made their grand ascent up the Met Gala's staircase, marking the start of fashion's biggest night and raising money for New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute.
—Emily Bogle, NPR, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ascent
Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 6 May 2026
But with the ascent of generative AI products such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, investors have become rabid about betting on companies that benefit from the trend.
—Jordan Novet, CNBC, 4 May 2026
The takeover bid follows the surprising ascent of GameStop, a chain of video game outlets that shrank its brick-and-mortar footprint after gamers increasingly bought software in digital stores.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 4 May 2026
On Monday night, extravagantly dressed celebrities and designers made their grand ascent up the Met Gala's staircase, marking the start of fashion's biggest night and raising money for New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute.
—Emily Bogle, NPR, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ascent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ascent
Noun
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Coming off a 4-8 finish during Billy Napier’s final season, the Gators face an uphill climb.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 May 2026
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It’s considered one of the most difficult and trickiest sections of the climb to the peak.—
Binaj Gurubacharya,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Noun
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Each new hill brings a slightly different and powerful view of Martinez and its petroleum refinery infrastructure; farther in the horizon, like a mirage of an ivory city, shimmers a wind-turbine farm.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
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Outside, the layout opens up around a roughly 50-foot pool that stretches alongside a wooden deck with sweeping views of the hills and ocean.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
4 May 2026
Noun
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Rodríguez quickly climbed the Yankees’ minor league ladder in 2025, starting at High-A, forcing his way to Double-A, and earning a brief promotion to Triple-A for his last starts of the year.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
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In 2016, Albertsons paid $107 million to settle a BOGO promotion case in nearby Oregon, plus another $107 million to settle a 2023 federal court case concerning BOGO promotions in Washington.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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His time with the Bucks has fast-tracked his coaching ascension.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
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Unlike his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, whose near-universal popularity defined an era, Charles has had a more uneven public reception over decades as heir and since his ascension to the throne in 2022.—
Freddie Clayton,
NBC news,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Between slick tiles and steep inclines, locals rely on comfortable, supportive shoes—usually sleek sneakers, sturdy flats, or low-profile sandals.—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Apr. 2026
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Others, though, like the Innsdale trail, offer a more breezy walk with some incline, showing off the sparkling blue Hollywood Reservoir on a sunny day (most days in Los Angeles).—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But as online marketplaces widen their delivery network across the country and social media marketing levels the playing field, direct-to-consumer, or D2C, brands are on the rise in India, according to experts.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
7 May 2026
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Interestingly enough, his rise as a baseball player meant making the ultimate personal sacrifice.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
7 May 2026
Noun
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Nuclear fusion, the same process that powers the sun, has undergone several advancements in the last few years, according to DEEP.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
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The continual advancement in that area is because the economics drive it forward.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ascent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ascent. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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