escalate

verb

es·​ca·​late ˈe-skə-ˌlāt 

nonstandard

-skyə- 

escalated; escalating

intransitive verb

: to increase in extent, volume, number, amount, intensity, or scope

… a little war threatens to escalate into a huge ugly one …

—Mike Mansfield

transitive verb

: expand sense 2

escalation

ˌe-skə-ˈlā-shən 

nonstandard -skyə-

noun

escalatory

ˈe-skə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē 

nonstandard -skyə-

adjective

Synonyms of escalate

• increase
• rise
• accelerate
• swell
• expand

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

The first installment of Beef, created by Lee Sung Jin, also starred Steven Yeun and Ali Wong as two strangers who become embroiled in an escalating feud following a road-rage incident. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026

Zelensky warned that Russia will likely escalate daily missile and drone attacks as winter approaches. — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026

Fighting escalated late last month, undermining the November 2022 peace agreement that ended a devastating two-year war. — ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026

Officers arrived after a disturbance between two neighbors escalated to one man shooting another, police said. — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from escalator

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing escalate

• de-escalate
• re-escalate

Rhymes for escalate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

Kids Definition

escalate

verb

es·​ca·​late ˈes-kə-ˌlāt 

escalated; escalating

: to increase in extent, volume, or scope : expand

escalate prices

escalation

ˌes-kə-ˈlā-shən 

noun