ascending order

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ascending order" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe a sequence where items are arranged from the smallest to the largest, often in numerical or alphabetical contexts. Example: "Please list the numbers in ascending order, starting from the lowest value."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Perhaps in ascending order of intelligence?

The New York Times

Here are 10, in ascending order: 10.

The New York Times - Sports

My top three in ascending order?

The Guardian - Lifestyle

That's in ascending order of horror, presumably.

The New Yorker

Here they are, in ascending order of importance.

The Guardian - Opinion

In ascending order, three main problems present themselves.

The Guardian - Opinion

I list them in ascending order of plausibility: 1.

The Guardian - Opinion

I was visiting my spas in ascending order of luxury and dedication.

The Guardian - Travel

He was looking at the list, on which the prices were in roughly ascending order.

The New Yorker

Horses, cards, billiards, and women were his lifelong interests, in ascending order.

The New Yorker

These notations, he said, ran in descending rather than ascending order — proof that they were inauthentic.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "ascending order", clearly specify the criteria being used for the ordering (e.g., size, date, alphabetical position).

Common error

Avoid using "ascending order" without specifying what is being ordered. For instance, instead of saying "the data is in ascending order", specify "the data is sorted in ascending order by date".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ascending order" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb, indicating the manner in which something is arranged or sorted. Ludwig examples show it consistently used to specify the sequence of items. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

39%

News & Media

33%

Wiki

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "ascending order" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to describe an arrangement from smallest to largest. Ludwig provides numerous examples across various domains, particularly in science, news media, and formal business contexts. While versatile, it's best practice to specify the criteria for ordering to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives like "increasing order" or "sorted from smallest to largest" can be used for variety. The phrase is suitable for neutral and professional communication, making it a valuable tool in both written and spoken English. Ludwig AI confirms the correct usage and provides helpful examples.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

sorted from smallest to largest

Directly describes the sorting criteria.

ranked from lowest to highest

Specifies the ranking criteria clearly.

from least to most

A more descriptive alternative highlighting the direction of the arrangement.

increasing sequence

Replaces "order" with "sequence", emphasizing the arrangement of items.

growing progression

Uses "progression" to highlight the gradual increase and "growing" to denote the incremental change.

arranged incrementally

Focuses on the manner of arrangement, highlighting incremental steps.

sequential increase

Focuses on the incremental nature of the arrangement.

in incremental succession

A formal way of describing the step-by-step increase.

step-up arrangement

Emphasizes each item being a step higher than the previous one.

bottom-up sort

Highlights starting from the smallest and moving upwards.

FAQs

How do I use "ascending order" in a sentence?

You can use "ascending order" to describe how data or items are arranged, for example: "The files are listed in "ascending order" by date", or "Please arrange these numbers in "ascending order"".

What is the difference between "ascending order" and "descending order"?

"Ascending order" means arranging items from the smallest to the largest, while "descending order" means arranging them from the largest to the smallest.

What can I say instead of "ascending order"?

Alternatives include "increasing order", "growing progression", or "ranked from lowest to highest" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "sort in ascending order"?

Yes, it is perfectly correct to say "sort in ascending order". It clearly specifies the action (sorting) and the direction of the sort (ascending).