climb
climb
Pronunciation
/klaɪm/.
klaɪm
/k/: voiceless velar stop
/l/: voiced lateral approximant
/aɪ/: diphthong (as in "my")
/m/: voiced bilabial nasal
Word Form Variations
Verb Forms:
Base Form/Infinitive: climb (e.g., "to climb the mountain")
Third-Person Singular Present: climbs (e.g., "He climbs every day.")
Past Tense: climbed (e.g., "She climbed the ladder yesterday.")
Past Participle: climbed (e.g., "They have climbed many peaks.")
Present Participle/Gerund: climbing (e.g., "He is climbing the tree." or "Climbing is a great exercise.")
Noun Forms:
Singular: climb (e.g., "It was a difficult climb to the summit.")
Plural: climbs (e.g., "They completed several climbs this season.")
Other Related Forms:
Adjective: climbable (e.g., "The wall was not climbable.")
Noun (person): climber (e.g., "She is an experienced climber.")
Gerund as Noun: climbing (often used in the context of the activity, e.g., "rock climbing")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb
To ascend or move upwards, typically by using one's hands and feet, often with effort or difficulty.
Synonyms: ascend, scale, mount, scramble, clamber, go up, rise
Antonyms: descend, fall, drop, lower, go down
To increase steadily in value, amount, or intensity.
Synonyms: rise, grow, escalate, surge, advance, improve
Antonyms: fall, decline, decrease, drop, plummet, worsen
To move into or out of a particular position or place with some effort, often implying an upward or awkward movement.
Synonyms: scramble, get into/out of, wriggle, squeeze
Antonyms: exit, leave, depart, alight
Noun
An act or instance of ascending, especially a difficult or challenging ascent.
Synonyms: ascent, rise, scaling, scramble, arduous journey (upward)
Antonyms: descent, fall, drop
A route or path that involves an upward movement or ascent.
Synonyms: ascent, incline, gradient, rise, slope, track (upward)
Antonyms: descent, decline, dip, fall
Adjective
Note: While "climb" itself isn't an adjective, its past participle "climbed" and the related word "climbable" function as adjectives. "Climbing" can also function adjectivally.
Climbed (Past Participle as Adjective): Having been ascended or scaled.
Synonyms: ascended, scaled, mounted
Antonyms: unclimbed, unscaled, untouched (in terms of ascent)
Climbable (Adjective): Capable of being climbed; offering a feasible route for ascent.
Synonyms: accessible (for climbing), scalable, surmountable, passable
Antonyms: unclimbable, inaccessible, insurmountable, impassable
Climbing (Present Participle as Adjective): Pertaining to the act or sport of ascending, or designed for ascending.
Synonyms: ascensive, scaling (e.g., climbing gear)
Antonyms: descending, falling (less direct antonyms as this describes a type of activity/object)
Examples of Use
Books:
"The first climb up Mount Everest was a momentous achievement, pushing the limits of human endurance and mountaineering technology." (From a historical account of Everest expeditions)
"He began his slow climb through the ranks of the corporate ladder, patiently acquiring skills and making strategic alliances." (From a business memoir)
"The vine, thick and ancient, continued its relentless climb up the crumbling castle wall, its tendrils finding every crevice." (From a fantasy novel)
Newspapers:
"Stock prices continued their unexpected climb this quarter, defying earlier predictions of a market slowdown." (The Wall Street Journal)
"Rescuers are preparing for a difficult climb to reach the stranded hikers on the remote peak." (Daily Nation)
"The politician vowed to climb out of the polls deficit before the upcoming election, promising a renewed campaign effort." (The New York Times)
Online Publications:
"Google's market capitalization continued its impressive climb, propelled by strong advertising revenue and cloud services growth." (TechCrunch)
"A beginner's guide to rock climbing: essential gear, techniques, and safety tips for your first ascent." (OutdoorGearLab.com)
"The number of electric vehicles on Kenyan roads is set to climb significantly in the next five years, driven by government incentives." (The East African)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film (Dialogue): "We'll have to climb over that ridge if we want to make it to safety before nightfall." (From an action-adventure movie)
Music (Song Title/Lyric): "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell (The lyrics feature the line: "If I could just get to you, I'd climb the highest mountain.")
Video Games (Gameplay Description): "Use the grappling hook to climb sheer cliffs and access hidden areas." (From a video game tutorial or loading screen)
Television Series (Plot Description): "The episode follows the protagonist's arduous climb to uncover the truth behind the conspiracy." (From a TV series synopsis)
Documentary (Narration): "This species of tree frog demonstrates an incredible ability to climb vertical surfaces using specialized adhesive pads." (From a nature documentary)
General Public Discourse:
"It's a tough climb to get a good job in this economy, but I'm not giving up." (Heard in casual conversation)
"The kids love to climb on that old oak tree in the park." (Parent talking about their children)
"We're seeing a significant climb in interest rates, which is affecting housing affordability." (Heard on a radio talk show discussing economics)
"After weeks of training, I finally felt ready to attempt the climb up Kilimanjaro." (Person discussing their personal goal)
10 Famous Quotes Using Climb
"The best view comes after the hardest climb." (Unknown, often attributed to various sources related to mountaineering or perseverance)
"Every mountain top is within reach if you just keep climbing." (Barry Finlay, Kilimanjaro and Beyond)
"It's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves." (Sir Edmund Hillary, renowned mountaineer)
"You are not born a winner, you are not born a loser. You are born a chooser." (Zig Ziglar) - This quote, while not using "climb," is often used in motivational contexts synonymous with the effort of "climbing" towards success.
"I have been a man of many sorrows, and I have found it difficult to climb out of them." (Nelson Mandela, in an interview or speech)
"He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying." (Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra)
"We don't climb mountains for the world to see, but so we can see the world." (Unknown, popular among climbers)
"Life is a mountain, and the great thing is to keep climbing." (Sir Richard Branson, in various interviews and writings)
"The way to climb to the top is to get on the bottom and start climbing." (Unknown, a common saying about humble beginnings and hard work)
"The higher you climb, the colder it gets, but the better the view." (Unknown, a metaphorical quote about ambition and success)
Etymology
The word "climb" has a really old and interesting history, tracing back thousands of years!
Imagine a long, long time ago, a language called Proto-Indo-European was spoken. This is like the great-grandparent of many languages spoken today, including English. In this ancient language, there was a root sound, something like *gley-, which meant "to stick" or "to cleave" (meaning to hold tightly or adhere). Think about how you need to stick or cling to something when you're going up.
From this, we get to Proto-Germanic, an ancestor of Germanic languages like English, German, and Dutch. In Proto-Germanic, this root evolved into words like *klibaną or *klimbaną, which specifically meant "to go up by clinging" or "to climb." You can already see the "cling" idea built right into the word.
Then, we get to Old English (the earliest form of English, spoken before 1150 AD). Here, the word was "climban." Its meaning was very much like our modern "climb": "to raise oneself using hands and feet," "to rise gradually," or "to ascend." So, the first known use of the word "climb" (in its Old English form) already had the core meaning of moving upwards, often with effort and involving a gripping action.
Over time, as English evolved into Middle English and then Modern English, the word kept its core meaning and changed slightly in spelling to become our "climb." You can still see its relatives in other Germanic languages today, like "klimmen" in Dutch and "klimmen" (or "klimmen") in German, all meaning to climb. The "b" at the end of "climb" actually used to be pronounced in Old English, but over centuries, it became silent.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Climb
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "climb," supplemented where necessary:
Climb the corporate ladder: To advance in one's career or rise to higher positions within a company.
Climb a learning curve: To go through a period of gaining knowledge or skills, often initially with difficulty.
Climb out of a hole: To recover from a difficult or negative situation, such as debt or a setback.
Climb to the top: To achieve ultimate success or reach the highest level in a particular field.
Climb on the bandwagon: To join a popular or successful trend or movement.
Climb into bed/into the car, etc.: To get into a specific place, often implying some effort or movement over an edge.
Climb the walls: To be extremely restless, anxious, or bored. (Idiom)
Climb every mountain: To overcome all obstacles to achieve a goal. (Commonly known phrase, also a song title)
Climb down: To retreat from a position, opinion, or argument; to admit defeat. (Idiom)
Climb down off your high horse: To become less arrogant or condescending. (Idiom, though less common than "get off your high horse")
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of climb from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
