escalate

verb

es·ca·late ˈe-skə-ˌlāt

nonstandard

-skyə-

escalated; escalating

Synonyms of escalate next

intransitive verb

: to increase in extent, volume, number, amount, intensity, or scope

a little war threatens to escalate into a huge ugly one—

Arnold Abrams

transitive verb

: expand sense 2

escalation

ˌe-skə-ˈlā-shən

nonstandard -skyə-

noun

escalatory

ˈe-skə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē

nonstandard -skyə-

adjective

Examples of escalate in a Sentence

The conflict has escalated into an all-out war. a time of escalating tensions We are trying not to escalate the violence. Salaries of leading executives have continued to escalate. The cold weather has escalated fuel prices.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

However, prosecutors say those injuries weren't due to an accident but an escalating pattern of violence resulting in the girl's death. —

Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 22 Nov. 2024 The issue now is not whether COMAC will challenge Boeing but rather how ready Boeing is or isn't to maintain its position in this escalating competition. —

Jim Osman, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024 The escalating cheers of the crowd hit a crescendo at 1:47 a.m. —

David Jackson, USA TODAY, 20 Nov. 2024 Geopolitical turmoil is considered a major threat to global stocks heading into 2025, with escalating conflicts in Europe and the Middle East raising concerns for markets. —

Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 19 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for escalate