To climb means to move upward using your hands and feet, or to rise gradually to a higher position. When you climb a tree, you grip the branches and pull yourself up from limb to limb. When you climb a mountain, you might hike steep trails for hours or even days, working your way toward the summit.

Climbing requires effort and persistence. A rock climber searches for handholds and footholds in the stone face, carefully planning each move upward. A vine climbs a wall by wrapping around it and growing higher as the summer progresses. A pilot might report that the airplane is climbing to cruising altitude, rising steadily through the sky.

The word also describes other kinds of rising. Temperatures climb during a heat wave. A company's profits might climb year after year. A singer's voice might climb higher and higher during a challenging song. When you're climbing the ranks in a game or sport, you're improving your position by getting better.

Notice that climbing almost always involves effort or gradual progress. You can also climb down, especially when you move carefully from a higher place to a lower one, like climbing down a ladder. But in many cases, climb suggests working against gravity or obstacles, making your way upward step by step.