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
The Context Naroditsky's passing at just 29 years of age comes amid a period of escalating scrutiny and controversy surrounding online chess, including high-profile accusations of cheating.
—Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Davis and Holm didn't see eye to eye, escalating to Holm avoiding her in the film's downtime.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
Sun said Taiwan has prepared a series of responses if the People's Liberation Army’s (PLA) provocations escalate into acts of war and has detailed plans to counter and survive a potential Chinese naval blockade.
—Eryk Michael Smith, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Their scuffle escalated — with Banegas holding a Glock pistol and, later, pulling the trigger.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for escalate
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Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Davis and Holm didn't see eye to eye, escalating to Holm avoiding her in the film's downtime.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
Sun said Taiwan has prepared a series of responses if the People's Liberation Army’s (PLA) provocations escalate into acts of war and has detailed plans to counter and survive a potential Chinese naval blockade.
—Eryk Michael Smith, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Their scuffle escalated — with Banegas holding a Glock pistol and, later, pulling the trigger.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 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 28 Oct. 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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