ascent
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the act of moving or climbing up to a higher place.
the physical act of rising or moving upward, particularly in the context of climbing or flight.
Simple“The climbers began their final ascent to the top of the mountain at dawn.”
In context“The balloon's rapid ascent was halted by a sudden change in air pressure, forcing the pilot to adjust the burner settings immediately.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a path, road, or slope that goes up.
a physical upward slope or a way that leads to a higher elevation.
Simple“The road has a steep ascent that makes cycling very difficult for beginners.”
In context“The narrow trail followed a steady ascent through the pine forest before opening onto the rocky plateau above the tree line.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
a move to a higher social position or a more successful level.
a metaphorical rise in status, power, importance, or social hierarchy.
Simple“The book describes the politician's quick ascent to power during the 1990s.”
In context“Historians often debate the factors that contributed to the empire's rapid ascent to dominance in the Mediterranean region.”
Synonyms - 04 C2 Proficiency
the height of a letter that goes above the main line, like 'h' or 'k'.
the portion of a lowercase letter that extends above the mean line of a typeface.
Simple“The designer chose a font with a tall ascent to make the text easier to read.”
In context“When adjusting the line spacing, the typographer had to account for the generous ascent of the decorative script font.”
Synonymsascender heightAntonyms
“He then told him to wait for him before continuing his five-hour ascent to the summit with the child’s older brother, who had already gone on ahead.”
“The team’s ascent is all the more impressive given that his early days in charge were hard going.”
Formed from ascend on the model of descend/descent.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.