Climbing — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun phrase /ˈklīm/ (verb) /ˈfrē-ˌklīm/ (verb)

Meaning & Definition of Climbing

Climbing (verb)

  1. to go upward with gradual or continuous progress, rise, ascend
  2. to increase gradually
  3. to slope upward
  4. back down
  5. to climb something (such as a rock face) without using aids for support

Climbing (noun)

  1. a steel framework with spikes attached that may be affixed to one's boots for climbing something (such as a pole or tree)
  2. a wall specially designed for climbing and often built to simulate a rocky surface
  3. a structure that is designed for children to climb on for fun and that often includes a slide
  4. a plant that attaches itself to something, such as a wall, as it grows up it
  5. mountain climbing on rocky cliffs
  6. one who attempts to gain a higher social position or acceptance in fashionable society

Climbing (phrase)

  1. feeling very anxious or frustrated because one has a lot of energy but is unable to do something he or she wants to do

Climbing (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: clambering, scrabbling, scrambling, swarming
    related: shimmying, shinning, shinnying, skinning, ascending, breasting (chiefly British), free-climbing, getting up, mounting, scaling, summiting, surmounting, clawing, sprawling, struggling

  2. to move or extend upward

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

    similar: arising, ascending, aspiring, lifting, mounting, rising, soaring, thrusting, upping, uprearing, uprising, upthrusting, upturning
    related: surging, towering, boosting, elevating, raising, upheaving, uplifting, upraising, ballooning, blasting off, taking off, zooming, cresting, scaling, surmounting, topping, canting, inclining, leaning, listing, reclining, slanting, sloping, tilting, tipping
    opposite: declining, descending, dipping, dropping, falling (off), plunging
    near: diving, nose-diving, plummeting, sinking, sliding

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

    "complaints to the cable company climbed after the changeover"

    similar: accelerating, accumulating, appreciating, ballooning, booming, building up, burgeoning, enlarging, escalating, expanding, gaining, increasing, mounting, multiplying, mushrooming, proliferating, rising, rolling up, snowballing, spreading, swelling, waxing
    related: jumping, rocketing, skyrocketing, surging, heightening, intensifying, redoubling, blowing up, bulking, distending, inflating, puffing (up), crescendoing, cresting, peaking
    opposite: contracting, decreasing, diminishing, dwindling, lessening, receding, waning

Related Entry: Climb (verb)

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

  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

Related Entry: Climbing (aboard) (verb)

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

  1. as in getting in, mounting

    similar: boarding, getting in, mounting, embarking, enplaning, entraining
    opposite: alighting, descending, disembarking, dismounting, getting down, lighting, deplaning, detraining

Related Entry: Climbing down (verb)

Climbing down is a different word from Climbing. The synonyms below are for climbing down, not for climbing.

  1. as in backing down, backtracking

    similar: backing down, backpedaling, backtracking, bowing out, detaching, disengaging, disentangling, pulling away, chickening (out), abandoning, departing, evacuating, going, leaving, quitting, vacating, flinching, recoiling, shrinking, fleeing, flying, backing away, dropping back, falling back, pulling out, receding, retiring, retreating, withdrawing
    opposite: advancing, bearding, braving, brazening, breasting, confronting, daring, defying, facing, outbraving

Related Entry: Free-climbing (verb)

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

  1. as in getting up, mounting

    similar: ascending, breasting (chiefly British), getting up, mounting, scaling, summiting, surmounting, shimmying, shinning, shinnying, skinning, clawing, sprawling, struggling, clambering, climbing, scrabbling, scrambling, swarming

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Climbing

The most common words with a similar meaning to Climbing:

clambering, scrabbling, scrambling, swarming, arising, ascending, aspiring, lifting, mounting, rising, soaring, thrusting, upping, uprearing, uprising, upthrusting, upturning, accelerating, accumulating, appreciating, ballooning, booming, building up, burgeoning, enlarging, escalating, expanding, gaining, increasing, multiplying, mushrooming, proliferating, rolling up, snowballing, spreading, swelling, waxing

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Climbing

Words with the opposite meaning of Climbing:

declining, descending, dipping, dropping, falling (off), plunging, contracting, decreasing, diminishing, dwindling, lessening, receding, waning

Related Words for Climbing

shimmying, shinning, shinnying, skinning, breasting, free-climbing, getting up, scaling, summiting, surmounting, clawing, sprawling, struggling, surging, towering, boosting, elevating, raising, upheaving, uplifting, upraising, blasting off, taking off, zooming, cresting, topping, canting, inclining, leaning, listing

Near Antonyms of Climbing

diving, nose-diving, plummeting, sinking, sliding

Word Forms of Climbing

Inflections: climbed, climbs, climbed down, climbing down, climbs down, free-climbed, free-climbing, free-climbs

Derived words: climbable (adjective), rock climb (intransitive verb), rock climber (noun), climbdown (noun), free climber (noun), social climbing (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Climbing

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

First known use: before 12th centuryi

Words & Phrases Containing Climbing

climbing iron, climbing wall, climbing frame, climbing plant, climbing the walls, rock climbing

Frequently Asked Questions about Climbing

What does "Climbing" mean?

"Climbing" means to go upward with gradual or continuous progress, rise, ascend. As an a verb, a noun and a phrase, it is defined as: to go upward with gradual or continuous progress, rise, ascend. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Climbing"?

Other words for "Climbing" include clambering, scrabbling, scrambling, swarming, arising, ascending, aspiring and lifting. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Climbing" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Climbing"?

There are 85 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Climbing". Common alternatives include clambering, scrabbling, scrambling, swarming, arising, ascending, aspiring, lifting, mounting and rising.

What is the opposite of "Climbing"?

Antonyms of "Climbing" include declining, descending, dipping, dropping, falling (off), plunging, contracting and decreasing. Near antonyms include diving, nose-diving, plummeting and sinking.

How do you use "Climbing" in a sentence?

Examples of "Climbing" 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 "Climbing" a noun, verb, or adjective?

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

How do you pronounce "Climbing"?

"Climbing" is pronounced /ˈklīm/ as a verb and /ˈfrē-ˌklīm/ as a verb.

What is the origin of the word "Climbing"?

"Climbing" comes from Middle English, from Old English climban; probably akin to Old English clifian to adhere cleave. First known use: before 12th centuryi.