Climb — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈklīm/

Meaning & Definition of Climb

Climb (verb)

  1. to go upward with gradual or continuous progress, rise, ascend
  2. to increase gradually
  3. to slope upward

Climb (noun)

  1. a place where climbing is necessary to progress
  2. the act or an instance of climbing, rise, ascent

Climb (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to move (as up or over something) often with the help of the hands in holding or pulling

    "visitors should use caution when climbing over the wet rocks along the shore"

    similar: clamber, scrabble, scramble, swarm
    related: shimmy, shin, shinny, skin, ascend, breast (chiefly British), free-climb, get up, mount, scale, summit, surmount, claw, sprawl, struggle

  2. to move or extend upward

    "smoke from the cabin climbing in the still mountain air"

    similar: arise, ascend, aspire, lift, mount, rise, soar, thrust, up, uprear, uprise, upthrust, upturn
    related: surge, tower, boost, elevate, raise, upheave, uplift, upraise, balloon, blast off, take off, zoom, crest, scale, surmount, top, cant, incline, lean, list, recline, slant, slope, tilt, tip
    opposite: decline, descend, dip, drop, fall (off), plunge
    near: dive, nose-dive, plummet, sink, slide

  3. to become greater in size, extent, volume, amount, or number

    "complaints to the cable company climbed after the changeover"

    similar: accelerate, accumulate, appreciate, balloon, boom, build up, burgeon, enlarge, escalate, expand, gain, increase, mount, multiply, mushroom, proliferate, rise, roll up, snowball, spread, swell, wax
    related: jump, rocket, skyrocket, surge, heighten, intensify, redouble, blow up, bulk, distend, inflate, puff (up), crescendo, crest, peak
    opposite: contract, decrease, diminish, dwindle, lessen, recede, wane

Climb (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the act or an instance of rising or climbing up

    "a long hard climb up the mountain"

    similar: ascension, ascent, rise, rising, soar
    related: boost, hike, increase, raise, blastoff, elevation, hoist, levitation, liftoff, raising, takeoff, heave, thrust, upheaval, uplifting, upraising, upsurge, upsweep, upswing, upthrust, uptrend, upturn, upwelling
    opposite: descent, dip, dive, drop, fall, nosedive, plunge
    near: plop, plummeting, sinking, decline, decrease, down, comedown, downfall, downgrade

Related Entry: Climb (aboard) (verb)

Climb (aboard) is a different word from Climb. The synonyms below are for climb (aboard), not for climb.

  1. as in get in, mount

    similar: board, get in, mount, embark, enplane, entrain
    opposite: alight, descend, disembark, dismount, get down, light, deplane, detrain

Related Entry: Climb down (verb)

Climb down is a different word from Climb. The synonyms below are for climb down, not for climb.

  1. as in back down, backtrack

    similar: back down, backpedal, backtrack, bow out, detach, disengage, disentangle, pull away, chicken (out), abandon, depart, evacuate, go, leave, quit, vacate, flinch, recoil, shrink, flee, fly, back away, drop back, fall back, pull out, recede, retire, retreat, withdraw
    opposite: advance, beard, brave, brazen, breast, confront, dare, defy, face, outbrave

Related Entry: Free-climb (verb)

Free-climb is a different word from Climb. The synonyms below are for free-climb, not for climb.

  1. as in get up, mount

    similar: ascend, breast (chiefly British), get up, mount, scale, summit, surmount, shimmy, shin, shinny, skin, claw, sprawl, struggle, clamber, climb, scrabble, scramble, swarm

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Climb

The most common words with a similar meaning to Climb:

clamber, scrabble, scramble, swarm, arise, ascend, aspire, lift, mount, rise, soar, thrust, up, uprear, uprise, upthrust, upturn, accelerate, accumulate, appreciate, balloon, boom, build up, burgeon, enlarge, escalate, expand, gain, increase, multiply, mushroom, proliferate, roll up, snowball, spread, swell, wax, ascension, ascent, rising

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Climb

Words with the opposite meaning of Climb:

decline, descend, dip, drop, fall (off), plunge, contract, decrease, diminish, dwindle, lessen, recede, wane, descent, dive, fall, nosedive

Related Words for Climb

shimmy, shin, shinny, skin, breast, free-climb, get up, scale, summit, surmount, claw, sprawl, struggle, surge, tower, boost, elevate, raise, upheave, uplift, upraise, blast off, take off, zoom, crest, top, cant, incline, lean, list

Near Antonyms of Climb

nose-dive, plummet, sink, slide, plop, plummeting, sinking, down, comedown, downfall, downgrade

Word Forms of Climb

Inflections: climbed, climbing, climbs

Derived words: climbable (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Climb

Middle English, from Old English climban; probably akin to Old English clifian to adhere cleave

First known use: before 12th centuryi

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Climb

Words & Phrases Containing Climb

climb down, free-climb, hill climb, rock climbing

Frequently Asked Questions about Climb

What does "Climb" mean?

"Climb" means to go upward with gradual or continuous progress, rise, ascend. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to go upward with gradual or continuous progress, rise, ascend. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Climb"?

Other words for "Climb" include clamber, scrabble, scramble, swarm, arise, ascend, aspire and lift. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Climb" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Climb"?

There are 105 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Climb". Common alternatives include clamber, scrabble, scramble, swarm, arise, ascend, aspire, lift, mount and rise.

What is the opposite of "Climb"?

Antonyms of "Climb" include decline, descend, dip, drop, fall (off), plunge, contract and decrease. Near antonyms include nose-dive, plummet, sink and slide.

How do you use "Climb" in a sentence?

Examples of "Climb" in a sentence: "visitors should use caution when climbing over the wet rocks along the shore"; "smoke from the cabin climbing in the still mountain air"; "complaints to the cable company climbed after the changeover".

Is "Climb" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Climb" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Climb" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Climb" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Climb"?

"Climb" is pronounced /ˈklīm/.