climb

KLYM/klaɪm/

Noun pluralclimbs

12 meanings of climb

1
verbintransitive
To go up to a higher place or level.
Like going up a staircase, step by step.
The road climbs gently toward the village.
Hot air will climb to the top of the room.
Similarrise, ascend, mount, increase
Oppositedescend, fall, drop, sink
Note
2
verbtransitive
To go up or down something by holding on with your hands and pushing with your feet.
Like a squirrel going up a tree trunk.
They climb the ladder one at a time.
He climbed the rocky slope using both hands.
Similarscale, ascend
Note
3
verbtransitive
To go up onto something and move toward its top.
Like an ant moving up a wall.
The cat climbed the stairs slowly.
We climb the hill to reach the church.
Similarascend, mount, scale
Oppositedescend
4
verbtransitive
To go all the way to the top of something.
Like reaching the very top of a tall ladder.
They finally climbed the mountain after three days.
Few people climb that peak in winter.
Similarscale, ascend, conquer
Oppositedescend
5
nouncountable
A trip up something high, like a hill or wall.
Like the trip up to the top of a slide before you go down.
The climb to the top took two hours.
Their daily climbs up the cliff kept them fit.
Similarascent
Oppositedescent
6
verbtransitive or intransitive
To move up to a higher place on a list or ranking.
Like moving up from the bottom row to the top row of a scoreboard.
Sales climb every December.
The single climbed the charts within days.
Similarrise, ascend
Oppositefall, drop, slip, slide
7
verbintransitive
To move up to a higher level in society.
Like moving up steps, but each step is a level in society.
She climbed quickly through the ranks at her job.
People who climb in society often forget old friends.
Similarrise, advance
Oppositefall, sink
8
verbintransitive
To take part in the sport of going up rocks, cliffs, or walls.
Like swimming or cycling, but your sport is going up walls and rocks.
They climb every weekend at the indoor gym.
He has been climbing for over ten years.
9
nouncountable
A hard effort needed to move upward.
Like pushing a heavy cart up a hill: it takes a lot of effort.
The last climb to the camp was a real struggle.
After such a steep climb, everyone needed a break.
Similarslog, ascent, haul
10
nouncountable
The act of getting up to a higher spot.
Like the walk up to a high balcony to see the view.
The climb to the lookout gave us a great view.
Their climb ended at the mountain hut.
Similarascent
Oppositedescent
Note
11
verbintransitive
Of a plant, to grow upward by holding onto a support.
Like a plant using a fence as a ladder to reach the sun.
Ivy climbs up the side of the house.
These beans climb as soon as they find a pole.
Similarcreep, twine, grow
Note
12
verbintransitive
To jump up high into the air.
Like jumping up high to grab something just out of reach.
Defenders must climb to win headers in the box.
She climbed above the pack to reach the cross.
Similarrise, jump, leap
Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of climb apart? Answer 4 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

This word comes from Old English climban, meaning "to climb." It is related to Dutch klimmen and German klimmen.