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
While Stern has escalating competition in the in-depth-chat-with-famous-people arena, his show is just as beloved by devotees for its iconic side players.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
What began as a peaceful protest escalated after the government deployed a heavy security presence in the protest area.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
The situation escalated after the Nepali Government announced a curfew as protesters tried to enter parliament compound in New Baneshwor, Kathmandu.
—Rajeev Tyagi, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2025
Protesters were galvanized by revelations of generous allowances for lawmakers at a time the cost of living is rising, with the demonstrations escalating after a delivery driver was hit and killed by an armored police vehicle.
—Grace Sihombing, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for escalate
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Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
What began as a peaceful protest escalated after the government deployed a heavy security presence in the protest area.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
The situation escalated after the Nepali Government announced a curfew as protesters tried to enter parliament compound in New Baneshwor, Kathmandu.
—Rajeev Tyagi, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2025
Protesters were galvanized by revelations of generous allowances for lawmakers at a time the cost of living is rising, with the demonstrations escalating after a delivery driver was hit and killed by an armored police vehicle.
—Grace Sihombing, Fortune, 8 Sep. 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 10 Sep. 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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