verb
ascend
uh-SEHND
verb
1
To move or climb upward.
"The hikers ascended the steep trail toward the summit."
"The balloon slowly ascended into the sky."
2
To rise to a higher position, rank, or throne.
"She ascended to the role of CEO within five years."
"The prince ascended to the throne after his father's death."
How to Use Ascend
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo go up — physically, or in status, rank, or power.
Common mistake
Not to be confused with "accede," which means to agree or to formally take on a role, despite the shared "ad-" prefix.
Easily confused with
accede
descend →
Common pairings
ascend to the throne
ascend a mountain
ascend the ranks
Word Forms
ascended past tense, ascends singular
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The hikers _____ the steep trail toward the summit.
Etymology
From Latin ascendere, "to climb up," built from ad- ("to") plus scandere ("to climb") — the same root gives us "scan" and "descend."