An ascent is an upward journey, especially when you are walking or climbing.
He led the first ascent of Kangchenjunga, the world's third highest mountain. [+ of]
Synonyms: climbing, scaling, mounting, climb More Synonyms of ascent
2. countable noun
An ascent is an upward slope or path, especially when you are walking or climbing.
It was a tough course over a gradual ascent before the big climb of Bluebell Hill.
Synonyms: upward slope, rise, incline, ramp More Synonyms of ascent
3. countable noun [usually singular, oft poss NOUN]
An ascent is an upward, vertical movement.
Burke pushed the button and the elevator began its slow ascent.
Synonyms: rise, rising, climb, ascension More Synonyms of ascent
4. singular noun
The ascent of a person to a more important or successful position is the process of reaching this position.
[written]
His own career continues its inexorable ascent.
It would be wrong to portray his life as a calculated ascent to power at any cost.
5. singular noun
In some religions, when someone goes to heaven, you can refer to their ascentto heaven.
...Elijah's ascent to heaven in a chariot of fire.
ascent in British English
(əˈsɛnt)
noun
1.
the act of ascending; climb or upward movement
the ascent of hot gases
2.
an upward slope; incline or gradient
3.
movement back through time, as in tracing of earlier generations (esp in the phrase line of ascent)
ascent in American English
(əˈsɛnt)
noun
1.
the act of ascending, rising, or climbing
2.
an advancement, as in rank, fame, etc.
3.
a.
a way leading up; upward slope; acclivity
b.
the amount of such slope
an ascent of three degrees
4.
a going back in time or in line of ancestry
Word origin
< ascend, modeled on descent
COBUILD Collocations
ascent
rapid ascent
Examples of 'ascent' in a sentence
ascent
Theirs has been no rapid ascent to stardom.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The pair had skied to the final rock ridge and were roped together for the final ascent.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Other triggers include making a rapid ascent to high altitude and performing hard physical exertion while there.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
His progress has not always followed a linear trajectory, with injuries and inconsistency slowing his ascent.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
It's more of an ascent than a descent.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
On the contrary, his dive computer recorded a very gradual ascent.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It was a steep, hazardous ascent.
Christianity Today (2000)
What you can't dispute is the rapid ascent of the band.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
His heart pounded in his ears and he knew his breath came more quickly than could be accounted for by his rapid ascent.
Kathleen E. Woodiwiss THE WOLF AND THE DOVE
After such a rapid ascent, investors are understandably worrying about what comes next.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It was almost sunset now, and the next morning we would begin our ascent up the mountain.
Bruce Feiler WALKING THE BIBLE (2001)
A long ascent of the steep hill is rewarded by a rest bench overlooking an idyllic scene.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The ascent of the world 's favourite precious metal has been one of the wonders of the past decade.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Then there was a sudden steep ascent and I had a moment of breathlessness and feeling sick.
The Sun (2009)
A steep ascent, it is said to command fabulous views over the lake of the same name.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
They still had to climb a steep ascent that lay behind Peter's hut.
Johanna Spyri Heidi (1881)
Difficulty rating The steep ascent and rocky ground means that you will need to be sure-footed.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
In 2004 their study concluded that the risk of such damage could be increased by anything that disrupted the slow ascent of the mammals to the surface.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The strongest will be the first to make the hazardous ascent to freedom, in case the capsule hits problems, then the weakest.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
I clawed back a little of the time on the frozen ascent and descent over the Alpine pass to Gstaad.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
In other languages
ascent
British English: ascent NOUN
An ascent is an upward journey, especially when you are walking or climbing.
...the first ascent of the world's third highest mountain.
American English: ascent
Brazilian Portuguese: subida
Chinese: 攀登
European Spanish: ascenso
French: ascension
German: Aufstieg
Italian: salita
Japanese: 登り
Korean: 등반
European Portuguese: subida
Latin American Spanish: ascenso
Chinese translation of 'ascent'
ascent
(əˈsɛnt)
n(c)
(= slope, path) 斜坡 (xiépō)
(= climb)
(by vehicle, elevator) 上升 (shàngshēng)
(by person)[of mountain]攀登 (pāndēng)
1 (noun)
Definition
the act of ascending
He led the first ascent of K2.
Synonyms
climbing
scaling
mounting
climb
clambering
ascending
ascension
2 (noun)
Definition
an upward slope
It was a tough course over a gradual ascent.
Synonyms
upward slope
rise
I climbed to the top of the rise.
incline
I came to a halt at the edge of a steep incline.
ramp
a ramp to facilitate entry into the pool from a wheelchair