ascent

1 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> Synonyms ascension, climb, rise, rising, soar Related Words boost, hike, increase, raise; blastoff, elevation, hoist, levitation, liftoff, raising, takeoff; heave, thrust, upheaval, uplifting, upraising, upsurge, upsweep, upswing, upthrust, uptrend, upturn, upwelling Near Antonyms plop, plummeting, sinking; decline, decrease, down; comedown, downfall, downgrade Antonyms descent, dip, dive, drop, fall, nosedive, plunge

2 an upward slope <we'd reached the final ascent of the trail to the summit> Synonyms acclivity, hill, rise, upgrade, uphill, uprise Related Words cant, diagonal, glacis, grade, gradient, inclination, incline, lean, pitch, rake, tilt; climb, hump, mound, ridge, swell Near Antonyms basin, depression, hollow Antonyms declension, decline, declivity, descent, dip, downgrade, downhill, drop-off, fall, hang, hanging

3 a raising or a state of being raised to a higher rank or position <his long, gradual ascent into the ranks of management> Synonyms advancement, creation, elevation, preference, preferment, promotion, rise, upgrade, upgradingRelated Words aggrandizement, ennoblement, exaltation, glorification, magnificationNear Antonyms deposition, dethronement, discharge, dismissal, expulsion, impeachment, ouster, overthrow, removal, suspension, unmaking, unseating; downfall, fallAntonyms abasement, comedown, degradation, demotion, disrating, downgrade, reduction