escalate

verb

es·​ca·​late ˈe-skə-ˌlāt How to pronounce escalate (audio)
nonstandard
-skyə- How to pronounce escalate (audio)
escalated; escalating

intransitive verb

: to increase in extent, volume, number, amount, intensity, or scope
a little war threatens to escalate into a huge ugly oneArnold Abrams
escalation
ˌe-skə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce escalate (audio)
 nonstandard  -skyə-
noun
escalatory
ˈe-skə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce escalate (audio)
 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 Now, following Arizona's boom in solar installation jobs and escalating impacts of climate change like heat and asthma that disproportionately affect low-income and minority communities, the Chispa AZ poll indicates Arizona's Latino vote may align even more with what Democrats are offering. Joan Meiners, The Arizona Republic, 20 July 2024 Joe Biden is off the campaign trail this weekend because of Covid, but as calls escalate among lawmakers and donors for the incumbent to step aside POTUS is planning to get a little late night and a little Aloha. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 19 July 2024 But the primary similarity arises in a persistent, escalating deficit and begs the question: How is the nation faring economically and what will the Biden administration leave behind? Will Mattern, Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2024 Instead, there’s a long night of veiled threats and escalating weirdness that inevitably takes a violent turn. Dennis Harvey, Variety, 19 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for escalate 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'escalate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from escalator

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of escalate was in 1944

Dictionary Entries Near escalate

Cite this Entry

“Escalate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/escalate. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

escalate

verb
es·​ca·​late ˈes-kə-ˌlāt How to pronounce escalate (audio)
escalated; escalating
: to increase in extent, volume, or scope : expand
escalate prices
escalation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on escalate

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