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 Mansfield
es·ca·la·tion
plural -s
1
: an increase (as in the price of an article or in a ship's tonnage) that counteracts an unjust discrepancy (as between the price of a product and the cost of material or between the tonnage of one nation's ships and that of another when both are regulated by the same treaty)
specifically
: the adjustment of prices proportionally and usually periodically and automatically to an alteration (such as a rise) in the cost of materials or a similar adjustment of wages to an alteration in the cost of living
2
: an increasing in extent, volume, number, amount, or scope
Examples of escalate in a Sentence
Verb
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
Helen Regan, CNN Money, 20 June 2026
The argument escalated into gunfire, which struck the man, Becchina said.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 19 June 2026
The appearance eventually escalated into a fight between the pair with pool noodles after Damon insulted Kimmel’s parents and Kimmel insisted this stunt did not mean Kimmel was on the show.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 19 June 2026
Dozens of neighbors poured into the street with whistles and cameras as the scene escalated.
—Laura Rodríguez Presa, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for escalate
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Verb
Bolivia’s President Rodrigo Paz declared a state of emergency Saturday, after weeks of anti-government protests over rising living costs and economic pressure that have since grown into an escalating political crisis.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 20 June 2026
The argument escalated into gunfire, which struck the man, Becchina said.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 19 June 2026
The appearance eventually escalated into a fight between the pair with pool noodles after Damon insulted Kimmel’s parents and Kimmel insisted this stunt did not mean Kimmel was on the show.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 19 June 2026
Dozens of neighbors poured into the street with whistles and cameras as the scene escalated.
—Laura Rodríguez Presa, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 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 23 Jun. 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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