Definition of ascend
intransitive verb
1a : to move upward the balloon ascendedb : to slope upward The path ascends through the woods.
2a : to rise from a lower level or degree ascend to powerb : to go back in time or in order of genealogical succession
transitive verb
1 : to go or move up ascend a staircase
2 : to succeed to : occupy ascend the throne
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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 of ascend from the Web
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As Trump's children ascended within the campaign, experienced political hands were marginalized, according to another former Trump campaign aide.
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Wearing their full Heat uniforms, Wade, James and Bosh ascended the stage in a rising platform amid smoke, flames and fireworks.
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The competitors’ opening challenge was to run through 12 miles of snow and mud, residual from heavy winter snowfalls, as the course ascended 2,300 feet to the 8,500-foot level.
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Jimmy Butler hadn’t ascended into the upper ranks of NBA stars quite yet.
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Knappenberger sets the scene in the tense climate of 2016, when Donald Trump was ascending in the polls while raging at the supposedly crooked media.
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Private homosexual acts between men over the age of 21 were not decriminalized in England and Wales until 1967, 15 years after Elizabeth ascended to the throne.
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Wellford Dr., 8737-Beazer Homes Corp. to Vikas Moolchandani and Priya Aswani, $830,000. Ascending Moon Path, 6040-James J. and Judy Demasi to Nam K. Nguyen and Sheri Lee, $779,000.
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On the day of the ceremony, Clarence House revealed Camilla would use the style of Princess Consort instead of the traditional Queen Consort when her husband ascended the throne.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ascend.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of ascend
Middle English, from Latin ascendere, from ad- + scandere to climb — more at scan
ASCEND Defined for English Language Learners
ascend
playDefinition of ascend for English Language Learners
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: to go up : to rise or move toward the sky
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: to slope or lead upward
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: to rise to a higher or more powerful position in a government, company, etc.
ASCEND Defined for Kids
ascend
playDefinition of ascend for Students
ascended
;ascending
1 : to go or move up We ascended the hill.
2 : to rise to a higher or more powerful position Abraham Lincoln ascended to the presidency in 1861.
Word Root of ascend
The Latin word scandere, meaning “to climb,” gives us the root scend. Words from the Latin scandere have something to do with climbing. To ascend is to climb upward. To descend is to climb downward. To transcend is to rise above or climb over something's limits.
Medical Dictionary
ascend
playMedical Definition of ascend
: to move upward: asa: to conduct nerve impulses toward or to the brain nerve fibers that ascend to a nucleus of the brain ascending and descending tractsb: to affect the extremities and especially the lower limbs first and then the central nervous system ascending paralysis
Learn More about ascend
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See words that rhyme with ascend Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for ascend Spanish Central: Translation of ascend Nglish: Translation of ascend for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of ascend for Arabic speakers
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