climb

To move up or down something, often using your hands and feet.

• Can you climb that tree?
• We climbed the stairs to the roof.
• She carefully climbed down the ladder.

How to use it: climb up/down something (He climbed up the ladder.)

Similar words: ascend, scale

Common phrases: climb a tree, climb the stairs, climb down something

To move into, out of, or through a place with effort, often using your hands and feet.

• He climbed into the car.
• The children climbed through a hole in the fence.
• She climbed out of bed slowly.

How to use it: climb into something (She climbed into the back seat.); climb out of something (He climbed out of the small boat.); climb through something (They climbed through the open window.)

Similar words: clamber

Common phrases: climb into something, climb out of something, climb through something

To become higher, or to slope upward toward a higher place.

• Prices continue to climb.
• The road climbs steeply beyond the village.
• Temperatures climbed to thirty degrees yesterday.

How to use it: climb to an amount (The temperature climbed to twenty degrees.); climb from A to B (Profits climbed from two million to three million dollars.)

Similar words: rise, increase

Opposites: fall, drop

Common phrases: prices climb, climb steadily, climb to something

To reach a higher rank or a more successful position.

• She hopes to climb the career ladder.
• The song climbed to number one.
• He climbed through the ranks to become manager.

How to use it: climb to a position (The team climbed to second place.); climb through the ranks (She climbed through the ranks of the company.)

Similar words: advance, rise

Common phrases: climb the ranks, climb to something, climb the ladder, climb the rankings

A journey or movement upward, especially one that takes effort.

• The climb was hard.
• We rested after the long climb to the village.
• The plane began its climb above the clouds.

How to use it: a climb to something (The climb to the summit took three hours.)

Similar words: ascent

Opposites: descent

Common phrases: steep climb, climb to something

A slow journey down something, often using your hands and feet.

• The climb down was slow.
• We began the climb down before sunset.
• Her climb down the ladder took several minutes.

How to use it: a climb down something (The climb down the cliff was difficult.)

Similar words: descent

Opposites: ascent

Common phrases: climb down, long climb down