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
The holiday season is kicking into full gear at a time when affordability and the rising cost of living have escalated to crisis mode for many households.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 24 Nov. 2025
In any case, Maia and Alani scramble downstairs to get the hell out of there before Wood’s meltdown escalates any further.
—Caroline Framke, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2025
As the disagreement escalated, the user made their decision clear and reiterated that the outing with their friends had been set long before the dinner was mentioned.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 24 Nov. 2025
The move comes as Washington appears poised to launch a new phase of operations in the coming days amid rapidly escalating tensions with Caracas.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for escalate
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Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 24 Nov. 2025
In any case, Maia and Alani scramble downstairs to get the hell out of there before Wood’s meltdown escalates any further.
—Caroline Framke, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2025
As the disagreement escalated, the user made their decision clear and reiterated that the outing with their friends had been set long before the dinner was mentioned.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 24 Nov. 2025
The move comes as Washington appears poised to launch a new phase of operations in the coming days amid rapidly escalating tensions with Caracas.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 24 Nov. 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 Nov. 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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