climb
/klaɪm/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To move up something by using your hands and feet, or to go higher on a slope, stairs, or a mountain. It can also mean to rise gradually.
- We climbed the stairs slowly.
- The cat climbed the tree.
- Prices climbed again last month.
noun
An act of going up a place or position, especially a hill or mountain. It can also mean a difficult upward route or effort.
- The climb was tiring.
- It was a steep climb to the top.
- She made the final climb alone.
Adinary Nuance
Climb is more physical and active than go up. Use climb when someone or something moves upward with effort, especially on stairs, hills, trees, or mountains. For prices, numbers, and levels, rise or increase often sounds more natural in formal English. Climb can also suggest slow movement upward, but it still keeps the idea of effort.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- leo
- Spanish
- subir
- Chinese
- 爬
- Japanese
- 登る
- Korean
- 오르다
Etymology
Old English had the verb climban, meaning “to climb.” It is related to old Germanic words for going up or clinging.
Common phrases
climb a hillclimb the stairsclimb to the topclimb the ranks
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is climb more natural than go up?
- Use climb for physical movement upward. Use go up for more general situations.
- What is the difference between climb and rise?
- Climb usually shows effort or movement on a surface. Rise is better for prices, numbers, smoke, or water.
- Can climb be used for career progress?
- Yes. People say climb the ranks or climb the career ladder.
- Is climb a formal word?
- It is common in both speech and writing. For data and prices, rise is often more formal.