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 …—
Mike Mansfield
Mike MansfieldExamples 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
South Korea has become a new focal point amid an escalating feud between China and Japan.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 13 Jan. 2026
If someone is injured or a deadly weapon is involved, the charge can escalate to a felony with the potential for much longer prison sentences.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Jan. 2026
Iranian security forces escalated from pellet guns to live ammunition during protests, sharply increasing casualties, a doctor who treated wounded demonstrators told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI).
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 13 Jan. 2026
With protests in their third week in Iran, human rights groups estimate at least 646 people have been killed in escalating demonstrations so far, though a near-total communications blackout has made verifying casualties extremely difficult.
—Emily Feng, NPR, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for escalate
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Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 13 Jan. 2026
If someone is injured or a deadly weapon is involved, the charge can escalate to a felony with the potential for much longer prison sentences.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Jan. 2026
Iranian security forces escalated from pellet guns to live ammunition during protests, sharply increasing casualties, a doctor who treated wounded demonstrators told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI).
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 13 Jan. 2026
With protests in their third week in Iran, human rights groups estimate at least 646 people have been killed in escalating demonstrations so far, though a near-total communications blackout has made verifying casualties extremely difficult.
—Emily Feng, NPR, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for escalate
Cite this Entry
“Escalate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/escalate. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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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