escalate

verb

es·​ca·​late ˈe-skə-ˌlāt 

nonstandard

-skyə- 

escalated; escalating

intransitive verb

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

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

—Mike Mansfield

transitive verb

: expand sense 2

escalation

ˌe-skə-ˈlā-shən 

nonstandard -skyə-

noun

escalatory

ˈe-skə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē 

nonstandard -skyə-

adjective

Synonyms of escalate

• increase
• rise
• accelerate
• swell
• expand

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

The Wildberries attacks have played into the hands of Russian hawks who urge escalating the war, said pro-Kremlin political expert Sergei Markov. — ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026

The two sides have escalated their air war on one another, with Ukraine increasingly firing barrages of drones at targets deep inside Russia, including warehouses and industrial plants as well as refineries. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026

What starts as a reasonable desire to prevent disease can escalate into constant testing and rigid routines built around an ever-growing roster of supplements and experimental remedies. — John Vorwald, Robb Report, 16 Aug. 2026

Haider says families should be aware of the subtle warning signs indicating that postpartum mental health issues could escalate. — Deborah Becker, NPR, 16 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from escalator

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing escalate

• de-escalate
• re-escalate

Rhymes for escalate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

Kids Definition

escalate

verb

es·​ca·​late ˈes-kə-ˌlāt 

escalated; escalating

: to increase in extent, volume, or scope : expand

escalate prices

escalation

ˌes-kə-ˈlā-shən 

noun