ascending

UK: /əˈsɛndɪŋ/ US: (ə sen′ding)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

as•cend•ing  (ə sen′ding), adj. 

1. moving upward;
   rising.
2. Botany growing or directed upward, esp. obliquely or in a curve from the base.

• 1350–1400; Middle English; see ascend, -ing²

as•cend′ing•ly, adv. 

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

as•cend /əˈsɛnd/   v. 

1. to move, climb, or go upward (upon or along);
   mount: [no object]
   The elevator ascended to the penthouse.
   [~ + object]
   She ascended the stairs gracefully.
2. to rise to a higher point, rank, degree, etc.:
   [no object] ascended rapidly in the company hierarchy.
3. ascend the throne, to become a king or queen.

See -scend-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

as•cend  (ə send′), v.i. 

1. to move, climb, or go upward;
   mount;
   rise:
   The airplane ascended into the clouds.
2. to slant upward.
3. to rise to a higher point, rank, or degree;
   proceed from an inferior to a superior degree or level:
   to ascend to the presidency.
4. to go toward the source or beginning;
   go back in time.
5. Music and Dance to rise in pitch;
   pass from any tone to a higher one.

v.t. 

6. to go or move upward upon or along;
   climb;
   mount:
   to ascend a lookout tower; to ascend stairs.
7. to gain or succeed to;
   acquire:
   to ascend the throne.

• Latin ascendere to climb up, equivalent. to a- a-⁵ + -scendere, combining form of scandere to climb. See scan
• Anglo-French ascendre
• Middle English ascenden 1350–1400

as•cend′a•ble, as•cend′i•ble, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. soar.
• 6. See climb. 

Antonyms

• 1, 6. descend.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

ascend / əˈsɛnd/ verb

1. to go or move up (a ladder, hill, slope, etc); mount; climb
2. (intransitive) to slope or incline upwards
3. (intransitive) to rise to a higher point, level, degree, etc
4. to trace (a genealogy, etc) back in time
5. to sing or play (a scale, arpeggio, etc) from the lower to higher notes
6. ascend the throne ⇒ to become king or queen

Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin ascendere, from scandere