ascend

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An ascend means going up or moving higher in some way, whether physically or mentally.

When you think about it, we use the word "ascend" all the time without really thinking about what it means. For example, imagine you're hiking and you need to climb a mountain - as you go up, you're ascending. But "ascend" can also be used in more abstract ways, like when someone's confidence or courage is rising, they're said to be ascending to new heights. This can happen at work, in school, or even in sports. You might say, "She ascended to a leadership position after just a few years of hard work." Or you might say, "He began to ascend the corporate ladder as his team's star player."

How common is "ascend"?

Word ascend is considered uncommon in modern English.
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.

Definitions

verb

(intransitive) To move upward, to fly, to soar.
Example: He ascended to heaven upon a cloud.
(intransitive) To slope in an upward direction.
(transitive) To go up.
Example: You ascend the stairs and take a right.
(ambitransitive) To succeed a ruler on (the throne).
Example: She ascended the throne when her mother abdicated.
(intransitive, figurative) To rise; to become higher, more noble, etc.
To trace, search or go backwards temporally (e.g., through records, genealogies, routes, etc.).
Example: Our inquiries ascend to the remotest antiquity.
(transitive, music) To become higher in pitch.
(incel slang, intramurally derogatory) To cease being an incel, generally by losing one's virginity and engaging in sexual intercourse, or by forming a romantic relationship.
Example: Instead of using sexual conquest as an opportunity to “ascend,” these members advocated for pursuing internal self-improvement.

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descend

Real examples of "ascend" in context

Why Are Beach Holes So Deadly?

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highways, and bridges rely on embankments to ascend or descend smoothly. Excavations for

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ascend

How common is "ascend"?

verb

Real examples of "ascend" in context

Why Are Beach Holes So Deadly?

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