ascendancy
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ascendancy
First recorded in 1705–15; ascend(ant) + -ancy
Explanation
When you assume ascendancy over someone else, you become more powerful than they are. Ascendancy is the state of being in a higher position. If you look at ascendancy, you see the word, ascend, which means to go up. Ascendancy is not so much about going up, but about being up. Another word for it is dominance, especially in the context of foreign or domestic relations. In school, if you question a teacher's ascendancy, you might be told to go to the principal's office. In this case, you're challenging the teacher's authority.
Vocabulary lists containing ascendancy
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But Antonelli's ascendancy this year has opened the door for Italy to embrace a new hero - even if he does drive for the direct competition.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
Looking back, did he or others, in their newfound ascendancy, get carried away?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
The ascendancy of AI, however, is not having the same effect on broader public opinion.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 27, 2026
The Magnificent Seven have dominated the market this decade, but SpaceX’s ascendancy may mean it’s time for investors to find a new cluster of stocks to get excited about.
From Barron's ● Jun. 19, 2026
Not his ascendancy alone, however, held me in thrall at present.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
