ascended; ascending; ascends
1
a
: to move upward
the balloon ascended
b
: to slope upward
The path ascends through the woods.
c
: to conduct nerve impulses toward or to the brain
an ascending somatosensory pathway
2
a
: to rise from a lower level or degree
ascend to power
b
: to go back in time or in order of genealogical succession
c
: to pass from lower to higher musical notes
C – E ascending
1
: to go or move up
ascend a staircase
2
: to succeed to : occupy
ascend the throne
Synonyms
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 on the Web
Metro was already ascending as a front-line star thanks to Heroes & Villains and Future is no stranger to the top of the charts, but this project has functioned as a commanding moment in both of their respective careers, and feels particularly meaningful for their legacies.
—
Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 2 Apr. 2024
If nothing else, these remaining games are providing an environment for Brandon Miller to keep ascending and polishing his game.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2024
At this week’s NFL meetings, York is expected to ascend from 49ers CEO and replace his mother, Denise DeBartolo-York, as principal owner of a franchise in which their family controls 97 percent of the stakes.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2024
It’s seen a gradual, orderly slowdown from the red-hot pace in 2021, when the labor market ascended from pandemic depths, but unemployment remains low and payroll growth is still humming along.
—Bryan Mena, CNN, 24 Mar. 2024
Mori eventually took these encounters as a sign to quit her job and pursue her first love, moving to New York to ascend the proverbial ladder by interning and assisting stylists.
—Alyson Zetta Williams, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024
There’s a very long driveway that gently ascends to a motorcourt fronting a three-car garage.
—James McClain, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2024
In fact, Jokic seems to be ascending toward a stratosphere within the nation’s history occupied only by Djokovic, the record-holding 24-time Grand Slam winner who has spent more than 400 weeks atop the world ranking.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2024
For context, passenger jets typically ascend to heights of 7.9 miles (12.7 kilometers) above Earth’s surface.
—Passant Rabie / Gizmodo, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024
Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 2 Apr. 2024
If nothing else, these remaining games are providing an environment for Brandon Miller to keep ascending and polishing his game.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 28 Mar. 2024
At this week’s NFL meetings, York is expected to ascend from 49ers CEO and replace his mother, Denise DeBartolo-York, as principal owner of a franchise in which their family controls 97 percent of the stakes.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2024
It’s seen a gradual, orderly slowdown from the red-hot pace in 2021, when the labor market ascended from pandemic depths, but unemployment remains low and payroll growth is still humming along.
—Bryan Mena, CNN, 24 Mar. 2024
Mori eventually took these encounters as a sign to quit her job and pursue her first love, moving to New York to ascend the proverbial ladder by interning and assisting stylists.
—Alyson Zetta Williams, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024
There’s a very long driveway that gently ascends to a motorcourt fronting a three-car garage.
—James McClain, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2024
In fact, Jokic seems to be ascending toward a stratosphere within the nation’s history occupied only by Djokovic, the record-holding 24-time Grand Slam winner who has spent more than 400 weeks atop the world ranking.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2024
For context, passenger jets typically ascend to heights of 7.9 miles (12.7 kilometers) above Earth’s surface.
—Passant Rabie / Gizmodo, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ascend.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near ascend
Cite this Entry
“Ascend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ascend. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ascend
verb
as·cend
ə-ˈsend 
Medical Definition
ascend
intransitive verb
as·cend
ə-ˈsend
: to move upward: as
a
: to conduct nerve impulses toward or to the brain
nerve fibers that ascend to a nucleus of the brain
ascending and descending tracts
b
: to affect the extremities and especially the lower limbs first and then the central nervous system
ascending paralysis
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