Ascent means the act of climbing or moving upward, or the upward path itself. When climbers make an ascent of Mount Everest, they're traveling from base camp up to the summit. A hot air balloon's ascent begins the moment it lifts off the ground and rises into the sky.

The word often appears in mountaineering and aviation, but it applies anywhere something moves from lower to higher: a hiker's ascent up a steep trail, an airplane's ascent after takeoff, or even a balloon released at a party making its ascent toward the ceiling.

Ascent can also describe rising to a higher position or level of achievement. A manager's ascent through a company means she's been promoted from entry-level jobs to positions of greater responsibility. An athlete's ascent to championship level describes the climb from beginner to expert through years of practice and competition.

The opposite of ascent is descent, moving downward. What goes up must come down: every mountain climber who makes an ascent must eventually make a descent back to safer ground.