1. fly or rise high in the air: "the bird spread its wings and soared into the air"Similarfly upwingwing its waytake offtake flighttake to the airascendclimbrisemountOppositeplummet
▪ maintain height in the air without flapping wings or using engine power: "the gulls soared on the summery winds"Similarglideplanefloatdriftwheelhanghover
▪ increase rapidly above the usual level:"the cost of living continued to soar"Similarincrease rapidlyshoot uprise rapidlyescalatespiral upwardsinformal:go through the ceilinggo through the roofskyrocket
Word Originlate Middle English: shortening of Old French essorer, based on Latin ex- ‘out of’ + aura ‘breeze’.