1
a
: the act of rising or mounting upward : climb
completed their ascent of the mountain
b
: an upward slope or rising grade : acclivity
followed the steep ascent to the top of the hill
c
: the degree of elevation : inclination, gradient
2
: an advance in social status or reputation : progress
their ascent from the lower class to the middle class
3
: a going back in time or upward in order of genealogical succession
Examples of ascent in a Sentence
They followed a steep ascent to the top of the hill.
our plane broke through some heavy low clouds during its ascent and leveled off once we were above them
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump’s pick for IRS If Long is confirmed, his elevation to IRS commissioner would mark a rapid ascent for a former congressman who had appeared potentially done with politics.
—
Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 20 May 2025
Expect to get your burn on early, with the heart-pumping Walter’s Wiggles, a series of 21 switchbacks that drop you at Scout Overlook, where the Angels Landing ascent begins.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2025
But for Norman Wong, who has watched from afar as the Trump administration has tried to chip away at the right his great-grandfather helped enshrine, the case's ascent to the Supreme Court is a troubling sign of how the courts may not balance potential overreaches by Trump.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 15 May 2025
Its ascent in 1991 to DOCa status—Denominación de Origen Calificada, Spain’s highest designation—further solidified Rioja’s place on the world stage.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ascent
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Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 20 May 2025
Expect to get your burn on early, with the heart-pumping Walter’s Wiggles, a series of 21 switchbacks that drop you at Scout Overlook, where the Angels Landing ascent begins.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2025
But for Norman Wong, who has watched from afar as the Trump administration has tried to chip away at the right his great-grandfather helped enshrine, the case's ascent to the Supreme Court is a troubling sign of how the courts may not balance potential overreaches by Trump.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 15 May 2025
Its ascent in 1991 to DOCa status—Denominación de Origen Calificada, Spain’s highest designation—further solidified Rioja’s place on the world stage.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ascent
Cite this Entry
“Ascent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ascent. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ascent
noun
as·cent
ə-ˈsent 
a-
1
: the act of rising or climbing up
began their ascent of the mountain
2
: an upward slope
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