1
as in to increase
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
as the war between the two countries escalated, it threatened to become a global conflict
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to accelerate
to make greater in size, amount, or number
the president promised to escalate the government's program to combat the dreaded disease
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of escalate
Reigniting an Old Feud The issues escalated on last week's episode of Raw after Lynch defeated Natalya's protege, Maxxine Dupri.
—
Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
Since then, immigration raids have escalated — often under questionable pretenses.
—Sonia Banker, Sun Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2025
But there is escalating competition in this space and that has business implications.
—David G.w. Birch, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
Beyond its other notable achievements, Do the Right Thing is a triumph of craftsmanship and vision, with both Lee and cinematographer Ernest Dickerson delivering a powerfully atmospheric snapshot of life in late-eighties Bed-Stuy at a time of escalating racial tension in the city.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 16 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for escalate
Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
Since then, immigration raids have escalated — often under questionable pretenses.
—Sonia Banker, Sun Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2025
But there is escalating competition in this space and that has business implications.
—David G.w. Birch, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
Beyond its other notable achievements, Do the Right Thing is a triumph of craftsmanship and vision, with both Lee and cinematographer Ernest Dickerson delivering a powerfully atmospheric snapshot of life in late-eighties Bed-Stuy at a time of escalating racial tension in the city.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 16 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for escalate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalate
Verb
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During the month of its release, the number of articles about KPop Demon Hunters increased nearly four-fold to 1,394.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 2025
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The program helped increase all patients’ access to care — not just kids’ — but the impact of its loss is greater for pediatricians because so many children in Idaho are on Medicaid.—
Sarah Cutler,
Idaho Statesman,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Driving impressions The Sportage hybrid accelerates well from a standstill.—
Mark Phelan,
Freep.com,
26 Aug. 2025
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From Crisis to Control: The Three Phases of Crypto Tax Strategy By 2017, crypto still wasn’t mainstream, but adoption was accelerating.—
Patrick Camuso,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The reduction came as rents in Chicago keep rising and after the state grappled with serious fiscal challenges when balancing its budget this year, issues exacerbated by a federal government focused on axing spending.—
Lizzie Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Aug. 2025
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Expect creeks to rise and have more flow in the Coastal Range, Willapa Hills and Cascades.—
Zach Urness,
USA Today,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Currently, Ryan is expanding his expertise by working toward becoming a licensed nutritionist, adding a well-rounded dimension to his fitness programs.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
20 Aug. 2025
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The Group’s resources explain how to lawfully implement employee resource or affinity groups, expand applicant recruiting pools, and collect workforce data to analyze barriers to equal opportunity.—
Michelle Travis,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
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At home, Kopelman recommends cleaning the area with soap and water, applying a cold compress in 10-minute intervals, and elevating the affected limb to reduce swelling.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Aug. 2025
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Remove jewelry, watches or anything that could constrict swelling.—
Tina Chen,
Mercury News,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The results mirror our Middlebury findings: Globally, students who use AI tend to be more likely to use it to augment their coursework, rather than automate it.—
Germán Reyes,
The Conversation,
18 Aug. 2025
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This year, the state plans to augment its LIHEAP grant with more than $7 million in unused funds from past winter heating assistance efforts.—
John Moritz,
Hartford Courant,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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West won't feel the fall preview Folks in the West would welcome some of the chill that will overtake the Midwest and Northeast: Dangerous heat is expected to intensify and expand in coverage over much of the western U.S. into the weekend, the National Weather Service said.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
23 Aug. 2025
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Scientists, as a group, lean more Democratic and less Republican than the rest of the public, a trend that seems to have intensified in recent decades.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
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For example, platforms like Perplexity now allow users to buy items (e.g., concert tickets, travel) directly within chat using PayPal or Venmo, without having to visit external sites and frictionless payments are simplifying the buying process to boost conversion rates and reduce cart abandonment.—
Gene Marks,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
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The formulation boosts free-radical defense while supporting collagen production, immune resilience, and even liver detox—all without the filler.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
16 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Escalate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escalate. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.
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