ascension

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noun as·cen·sion \ ə-ˈsen(t)-shən \

Definition of ascension

:the act or process of ascending

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Examples of ascension in a Sentence

The play tells of his ascension to the presidency.
the ascension of women in society

Recent Examples of ascension from the Web

Spurrier's ascension to the conference top's quarterback of his day was delayed by a knee injury in 1964 before his sophomore season.

— mark inabinett, AL.com, "The Countdown to Kickoff: The SEC's best No. 11," 22 Aug. 2017
Yet Williams was one of the players who started Miami’s ascension into a national power.

— miamiherald, "Lester Williams, football pioneer of the Miami Hurricanes, dies at 58," 18 Aug. 2017
Lastly, Francisco Franco rose to prominence in Spain following the ascension of Hitler and Mussolini.

— lily herman, Teen Vogue, "Fascism, Explained," 16 Aug. 2017
LaPorte is also the second smallest school in the league, making its ascension more impressive.

— mike hutton, Post-Tribune, "Hutton: Watch Griffith, LaPorte, Jordan Jusevitch and more this fall," 29 July 2017
But Aaron Bummer's unlikely ascension deserves more than snark, especially given how gratified the 23-year-old left-hander was after Triple-A Charlotte pitching coach Steve McCatty pulled him out of the food line late Wednesday night.

— david haugh, chicagotribune.com, "Now, great expectations must keep White Sox arrow pointing up," 27 July 2017
The festival also includes a hamburger eating contest, a giant 70-pound cheeseburger and a nighttime hot air balloon ascension.

— travel wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Five Fun Festivals for Families," 6 July 2017
Without a pilot for the Black Lion or the ability to form Voltron, the team must quickly devise a plan, as the ascension of Prince Lotor pulls them into a perilous game of cat and mouse.

— phillip molnar, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Comic-Con 2017: Here's your Thursday schedule," 6 July 2017
Garland’s ascension to the court might have reduced Kennedy’s sway.

— mark sherman, The Seattle Times, "Supreme Court term ended much different than it began," 28 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ascension.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of ascension

Middle English, from Latin ascension-, ascensio, from ascendere

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

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ascension Synonyms

Synonyms

ascent, climb, rise, rising, soar

Antonyms

descent, dip, dive, drop, fall, nosedive, plunge

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

Ascension

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geographical name As·cen·sion \ ə-ˈsen(t)-shən \

Definition of Ascension

isolated island in the South Atlantic belonging to the British colony of Saint Helena area 34 square miles (88 square kilometers), population 1400

ASCENSION Defined for English Language Learners

ascension

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noun

Definition of ascension for English Language Learners

: the act of rising or ascending; especially : the act of moving to a higher or more powerful position
the Ascension : the Christian holiday that celebrates Jesus Christ's journey to heaven after his death