es·ca·la·tor
ˈe-skə-ˌlā-tər 
nonstandard
-skyə-
1
a
: a power-driven set of stairs arranged like an endless belt that ascend or descend continuously
b
: an upward course suggestive of an escalator
… a never-stopping escalator of economic progress.—
D. W. Brogan
D. W. Brogan2
: an escalator clause or provision
: providing for a periodic proportional upward or downward adjustment (as of prices or wages)
… an escalator arrangement tying the base pay … to living costs …—New York Times
New York TimesExamples of escalator in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jeremy Rellosa, Curbed, 25 Feb. 2026
Find out if the contract includes an escalator — a more expensive price in future years.
—Jeff Brady, NPR, 25 Feb. 2026
Relieved of its duties to interpret sensor data and communicate maintenance needs, the escalator’s intelligence would host a free Wi-Fi network much faster than that of the Javits Center and would have encrypted conversations with the smartphones of anyone who wanted to access it.
—Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Its stunning height will be supported by 59 ultra-high-speed elevators and eight escalators, including seven double-deck elevators and two construction time elevators.
—Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for escalator
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Noun
Editor Jeremy Rellosa spoke to season-ticket holders and superfans about buying cheap tickets that aren’t in the nosebleeds, the best time to get a hot dog, and the secret escalator for avoiding the throngs.
—Jeremy Rellosa, Curbed, 25 Feb. 2026
Find out if the contract includes an escalator — a more expensive price in future years.
—Jeff Brady, NPR, 25 Feb. 2026
Relieved of its duties to interpret sensor data and communicate maintenance needs, the escalator’s intelligence would host a free Wi-Fi network much faster than that of the Javits Center and would have encrypted conversations with the smartphones of anyone who wanted to access it.
—Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Its stunning height will be supported by 59 ultra-high-speed elevators and eight escalators, including seven double-deck elevators and two construction time elevators.
—Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for escalator
Cite this Entry
“Escalator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/escalator. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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