escalate
verb
es·ca·late
ˈe-skə-ˌlāt 
nonstandard
-skyə-
escalated; escalating
: to increase in extent, volume, number, amount, intensity, or scope
a little war threatens to escalate into a huge ugly one—
Arnold Abrams
Arnold AbramsExamples 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
All Eyes on Sweden Trump dramatically escalated the trade war with the world's second-largest economy in April, rolling out sweeping new tariffs that prompted China to respond with its own export duties and other measures.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 July 2025
Now, with the breach, the legal stakes have escalated.
—Chris Groshong, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
Once settled through local mediation, these disputes have escalated into a major security threat as traditional systems of accountability break down.
—Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 26 July 2025
Aside from peer pressure, parents may not want to argue with their kids if tension over a smartphone is escalating.
—Katie Grant, Parents, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for escalate
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Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 July 2025
Now, with the breach, the legal stakes have escalated.
—Chris Groshong, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
Once settled through local mediation, these disputes have escalated into a major security threat as traditional systems of accountability break down.
—Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 26 July 2025
Aside from peer pressure, parents may not want to argue with their kids if tension over a smartphone is escalating.
—Katie Grant, Parents, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for escalate
Cite this Entry
“Escalate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/escalate. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
escalate
verb
es·ca·late
ˈes-kə-ˌlāt
escalated; escalating
: to increase in extent, volume, or scope : expand
escalate prices
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