To be in the ascendant

Origin

The phrase "in the ascendant" casts its gaze back to the mystical world of astrology, specifically to the moment of a person's birth. In ancient astrological charts, the "ascendant" — or "rising sign" — was the zodiac sign appearing on the eastern horizon at the precise time of birth. This point was considered crucially important, believed to symbolize a person's emerging self, their personality, and their destiny. When a planet was "in the ascendant," it meant that celestial body was rising and exerting its strongest, most dominant influence. From this cosmic positioning, the phrase entered common language, moving from the stars to the struggles of human ambition, capturing the moment when an individual, idea, or group begins to rise, gaining power and asserting its dominant influence over others.