gaining altitude
- climbingAscending by physical effort
- ascendingMoving upward
- risingAct of ascending
- soaringRising effortlessly upward
- elevatingLifting to higher level
lifting · ascent · climb · height · elevation · aircraft · takeoff · upward · skyward · airborne · flying · mountaineering · summit · peak · thrust · updraft · thermals · cockpit
vertical direction of movement
gaining altitudelosing altitude
descending · dropping · falling · diving · going down
progress or improvement (metaphorical)
gaining altitudelosing ground
declining · falling behind · sinking · going downhill · regressing