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• ascension
  ascension

  noun

  the act of ascending; ascent.
• Ascension
  Ascension

  noun

  a British island in the S Atlantic Ocean: constituent part of St. Helena. 34 sq. mi. (88 sq. km).

ascension

¹ American  

[uh-sen-shuhn] / əˈsɛn ʃən /

noun

1. the act of ascending; ascent.

2. the Ascension, the bodily ascending of Christ from earth to heaven.

3. (initial capital letter) Ascension Day.

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Ascension ² American  

[uh-sen-shuhn] / əˈsɛn ʃən /

noun

1. a British island in the S Atlantic Ocean: constituent part of St. Helena. 34 sq. mi. (88 sq. km).

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ascension ¹ British  

/ əˈsɛnʃən /

noun

1. the act of ascending

2. astronomy the rising of a star above the horizon

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Ascension ² British  

/ əˈsɛnʃən /

noun

1. New Testament the passing of Jesus Christ from earth into heaven (Acts 1:9)

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Ascension ³ British  

/ əˈsɛnʃən /

noun

1. an island in the S Atlantic, northwest of St Helena: uninhabited until claimed by Britain in 1815. Pop: 884 (2010 est). Area: 88 sq km (34 sq miles)

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Other Word Forms

• ascensional
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of ascension

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English ascencioun, from Anglo-French, from Latin ascēnsiōn-, stem of ascēnsiō, from ascēns(us) “climbed up” (past participle of ascendere “to climb up”; see ascend) + -iō -ion

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Explanation

The word ascension describes the act of rising up through the air. When a plane takes off, it is in ascension, or rising up in the sky. The noun ascension derives from the Latin word ascendere, meaning "to mound, ascend, go up." You may have observed the ascension, or rising, of a star above the horizon with your telescope. Watching the ascension of a space shuttle up into the earth's atmosphere can be a thrilling experience. The ascension of a hot air balloon up into the sky can be a beautiful sight on a summer's evening.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ascension Ascension

Waldron’s ascension would also open up the seat of president.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

Anything would be better than his run-heavy scheme stunting quarterback Justin Herbert’s anticipated ascension.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026

That Jackson’s ascension by convention counts as normal is less a reflection of the process itself than a product of the preconvention roller coaster ride that brought Democrats to where they are now.

From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026

Yet even with his rapid ascension to stardom, Haaland continues to return to Norway frequently where he owns several properties.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

So this terrifying ascension was most difficult for him, perched as he was on the neck of the giant.

From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman

A spokesperson for the Ascension Seton hospitals said in a statement, “When a patient experiences a serious or life-threatening condition during pregnancy, our clinicians provide medically indicated treatment, including treatment for an ectopic pregnancy.”

From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026

Sarkissian has filed a counterclaim against Global Ascension, Macciello and others connected to the film production company, also accusing them of fraud and breach of contract.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

Baptist Health and Ascension Sacred Heart are widely recognized for high-quality healthcare.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

The eurozone’s data calendar will be light, while Ascension Day on Thursday will be a public holiday in a number of countries.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026

Ascension to scythehood should by no means be easy.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

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