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
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
Models ascended monumental metal scaffolding, walked through cascading fountains in towering Kiss boots, and turned the runway into performance art.
—
Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 30 June 2025
The Western States 100 ranks as America’s top ultramarathon, launching from the Palisades Tahoe ski resort and ascending to nearly 9,000 feet before dropping into Auburn, California.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 30 June 2025
Gibson, 31, performed well when available last season but was in and out of the mix with injuries, all while pending restricted free agent Lukáš Dostál’s star ascended rapidly.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 28 June 2025
After Johnson was sworn in as president on Nov. 22, 1963, following the assassination of Kennedy, Moyers ascended as well.
—Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ascend
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Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 30 June 2025
The Western States 100 ranks as America’s top ultramarathon, launching from the Palisades Tahoe ski resort and ascending to nearly 9,000 feet before dropping into Auburn, California.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 30 June 2025
Gibson, 31, performed well when available last season but was in and out of the mix with injuries, all while pending restricted free agent Lukáš Dostál’s star ascended rapidly.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 28 June 2025
After Johnson was sworn in as president on Nov. 22, 1963, following the assassination of Kennedy, Moyers ascended as well.
—Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ascend
Cite this Entry
“Ascend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ascend. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
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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