as·cen·dant
ə-ˈsen-dənt 
variants
or less commonly ascendent
1
: the point of the ecliptic or degree of the zodiac that rises above the eastern horizon at any moment
2
: a state or position of dominant power or importance
3
: a lineal or collateral relative in the ascending line
variants
or less commonly ascendent
ascendantly
adverb
Examples of ascendant in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 23 July 2023
Because of their gregarious nature, Gemini ascendants will also ace making connections with a wide variety of people.
—Aliza Pelto, Women's Health, 17 June 2023
In fact, your birth chart begins with your rising sign, or ascendant.
—Aliza Pelto, Women's Health, 17 June 2023
The muted interest reflects how DeSantis is having a harder time dominating the political conversation on the right, after appearing ascendant in the run-up to the 2022 elections.
—Mackenzie Mays, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2023
Lang explains that the rare hybrid solar eclipse occurring on April 19 is in alignment with Harry’s ascendant in Libra and descendant in Aries—points in one’s birth chart that relate to the axis line between the self and other.
—Naydeline Mejia, Women's Health, 29 Apr. 2023
Also, her Capricorn ascendant showed a person with a tremendous amount of stamina, who was (quite literally) born to be an authority figure in life.
—Women's Health, 4 May 2023
As Succession crosses the midpoint of the fourth and final season, Friedman chats with The Hollywood Reporter about the five episodes aired thus far, Frank’s relationship with the ascendant Kendall and the departed, if not dearly, Logan Roy.
—Josh Wigler, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Apr. 2023
Like Burton in ’64, the 40-year-old’s star is in the ascendant.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 3 Apr. 2023
Maeve Reston and Marisa Iati, Anchorage Daily News, 19 Sep. 2023
But even for the ascendant attorney general who has batted away allegations of abuse of power and corruption, looming criminal charges and a federal investigation threaten to upend his latest win.
—Lauren McGaughy, Dallas News, 18 Sep. 2023
The successful mission showcases India’s rising standing as a technology and space powerhouse and dovetails with Prime Minister Narendra Modi desire to project an image of an ascendant country asserting its place among the global elite.
—Ashok Sharma, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Sep. 2023
But for the first time in ages, the Tigers have a legitimate challenger in the ACC with Mike Norvell’s ascendant Florida State Seminoles.
—J. Brady McCollough, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2023
That this sentiment aligned so well with politically ascendant strains of conservatism may or may not be coincidence, but the net effect was the same.
—Elizabeth Nelson, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2023
Following short periods at Shore Fire Media and Marty Diamond’s Little Big Man agency, Healy moved to L.A. to run publicity for Capitol Records, where clients included an ascendant Coldplay.
—Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 24 Aug. 2023
Not even the man who brought Carrie Bradshaw to screen could have engineered a plot line so ludicrous as that of Lexus, an ascendant knitwear designer with a collection of expensive shoes, and Josh, a man with the moustache of an amateur poet.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 6 Sep. 2023
The ascendant trope seems to be that there is nothing of which a billionaire is not capable, which makes such figures sinister but also exquisitely useful in plot terms.
—Jonathan Dee, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023
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Noun
Underpinning all this is a decades-old ethnic and socioeconomic tension between the secular elite and the ascendant right.
—Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 23 July 2023
Because of their gregarious nature, Gemini ascendants will also ace making connections with a wide variety of people.
—Aliza Pelto, Women's Health, 17 June 2023
In fact, your birth chart begins with your rising sign, or ascendant.
—Aliza Pelto, Women's Health, 17 June 2023
The muted interest reflects how DeSantis is having a harder time dominating the political conversation on the right, after appearing ascendant in the run-up to the 2022 elections.
—Mackenzie Mays, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2023
Lang explains that the rare hybrid solar eclipse occurring on April 19 is in alignment with Harry’s ascendant in Libra and descendant in Aries—points in one’s birth chart that relate to the axis line between the self and other.
—Naydeline Mejia, Women's Health, 29 Apr. 2023
Also, her Capricorn ascendant showed a person with a tremendous amount of stamina, who was (quite literally) born to be an authority figure in life.
—Women's Health, 4 May 2023
As Succession crosses the midpoint of the fourth and final season, Friedman chats with The Hollywood Reporter about the five episodes aired thus far, Frank’s relationship with the ascendant Kendall and the departed, if not dearly, Logan Roy.
—Josh Wigler, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Apr. 2023
Like Burton in ’64, the 40-year-old’s star is in the ascendant.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 3 Apr. 2023
Adjective
That provocative argument, which has no evidence behind it, and the spectacle of one ascendant Indian American woman attacking another has generated attention in a race where Haley had until recently struggled to attract the spotlight.
—Maeve Reston and Marisa Iati, Anchorage Daily News, 19 Sep. 2023
But even for the ascendant attorney general who has batted away allegations of abuse of power and corruption, looming criminal charges and a federal investigation threaten to upend his latest win.
—Lauren McGaughy, Dallas News, 18 Sep. 2023
The successful mission showcases India’s rising standing as a technology and space powerhouse and dovetails with Prime Minister Narendra Modi desire to project an image of an ascendant country asserting its place among the global elite.
—Ashok Sharma, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Sep. 2023
But for the first time in ages, the Tigers have a legitimate challenger in the ACC with Mike Norvell’s ascendant Florida State Seminoles.
—J. Brady McCollough, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2023
That this sentiment aligned so well with politically ascendant strains of conservatism may or may not be coincidence, but the net effect was the same.
—Elizabeth Nelson, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2023
Following short periods at Shore Fire Media and Marty Diamond’s Little Big Man agency, Healy moved to L.A. to run publicity for Capitol Records, where clients included an ascendant Coldplay.
—Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 24 Aug. 2023
Not even the man who brought Carrie Bradshaw to screen could have engineered a plot line so ludicrous as that of Lexus, an ascendant knitwear designer with a collection of expensive shoes, and Josh, a man with the moustache of an amateur poet.
—Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 6 Sep. 2023
The ascendant trope seems to be that there is nothing of which a billionaire is not capable, which makes such figures sinister but also exquisitely useful in plot terms.
—Jonathan Dee, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ascendant.' 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
Noun
Middle English ascendent, from Medieval Latin ascendent-, ascendens, from Latin, present participle of ascendere
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of ascendant was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing ascendant
Dictionary Entries Near ascendant
Cite this Entry
“Ascendant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ascendant. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.
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Kids Definition
ascendant
1 of 2 noun
as·cen·dant
ə-ˈsen-dənt
: a state or position of commanding power
ascendant
2 of 2 adjective1
: moving up : rising
2
a
: in a superior position
b
: inclined to control
Legal Definition
ascendant
noun
as·cen·dant
ə-ˈsen-dənt
: ancestor
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