as in rises
to move or extend upward
the path ascended so steeply at one point that we had to scramble up on our hands and knees
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Recent Examples of ascends
Whatever happens, for now, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle still retain their titles and likely would at least until Prince William ascends to the throne.
—
Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 1 Jan. 2026
Bing Crosby’s Ultimate Christmas ascends 7-5 with 59,000 equivalent album units (up 15%), while Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song returns to the top 10 with an 11-6 jump (50,000, up 17%).
—Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 14 Dec. 2025
The action is set mainly in 2008, when Ella (played by Emma Mackey), a thirty-four-year-old policy wonk who is her unnamed state’s lieutenant governor, ascends to the governorship.
—Hilton Als, New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2025
Much has been made in recent weeks about Notre Dame joining a conference as the 7-2 program ascends the College Football Playoff Rankings.
—Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Nov. 2025
The boy quickly ascends the interior staircase, rushes into the corridor and clears the steps to the garret in three leaps.
—Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
Coastal Carolina moves up for its 44-27 win against Marshall, and Missouri State ascends for beating Florida International, the Bears’ third straight win.
—Chris Vannini, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
The trail gradually ascends the hillside before leveling out.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2025
Add Trans Forming Liberty to her list of signature, historic artistic achievements–and standing up to the federal government and censorship, and for trans visibility–and Sherald ascends to the stature of most accomplished and important painter this millennium.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 1 Jan. 2026
Bing Crosby’s Ultimate Christmas ascends 7-5 with 59,000 equivalent album units (up 15%), while Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song returns to the top 10 with an 11-6 jump (50,000, up 17%).
—Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 14 Dec. 2025
The action is set mainly in 2008, when Ella (played by Emma Mackey), a thirty-four-year-old policy wonk who is her unnamed state’s lieutenant governor, ascends to the governorship.
—Hilton Als, New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2025
Much has been made in recent weeks about Notre Dame joining a conference as the 7-2 program ascends the College Football Playoff Rankings.
—Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Nov. 2025
The boy quickly ascends the interior staircase, rushes into the corridor and clears the steps to the garret in three leaps.
—Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
Coastal Carolina moves up for its 44-27 win against Marshall, and Missouri State ascends for beating Florida International, the Bears’ third straight win.
—Chris Vannini, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
The trail gradually ascends the hillside before leveling out.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2025
Add Trans Forming Liberty to her list of signature, historic artistic achievements–and standing up to the federal government and censorship, and for trans visibility–and Sherald ascends to the stature of most accomplished and important painter this millennium.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ascends
Verb
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Even as this risk rises rapidly, there are still plans for launching mega constellations of tiny satellites akin to those that are already orbiting as part of SpaceX’s Starlink system, along with a newly emerging push for orbital data centers such as Nvidia’s Starcloud.—
Humberto Basilio,
Scientific American,
7 Nov. 2025
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The film is based on the true story of Joseph ‘Lupo’ Rulli (Interdonato), a legendary New Jersey boxer plagued with polio before his career peaks, who then rises as a mobster in the Bonanno Crime family, while his older brother Dennis (Stahl) becomes a decorated State Policeman in the same town.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The seven-mile Torreya Challenge Loop steadily climbs and dips, meandering over creeks, an old forest road, and blackberry brambles, following a ridge where mountain laurels bloom in the spring and visitors can find the steepest incline in the park.—
Carrie Honaker,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Nov. 2025
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Keep going and the path climbs to the top of the arch, a high perch with breath-snatching panoramas.—
Roger Naylor,
AZCentral.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Production-wise, the album soars.—
Tomás Mier,
Rolling Stone,
23 Oct. 2025
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The series’ original final girl protecting the last children of Elm Street is an inspired choice, but the film soars by making exceptional use of Freddy’s nightmare world.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ascends.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ascends. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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