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
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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
Lebanon, which does not have diplomatic ties with Israel, has unusually called for direct talks with Israel to end the escalating fighting with Hezbollah.
—
Npr Staff, NPR, 12 Mar. 2026
And the escalating war in Iran is worrying some that higher prices across the board will soon follow.
—Heath Kalb, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026
Federal authorities have warned California law enforcement agencies that the state could be a potential target of a drone attack tied to the escalating war between Iran, the United States and Israel — though officials stress there is no confirmed or imminent threat.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
Iran has escalated its attacks aimed at generating enough global economic pain to pressure the United States and Israel to end the war, targeting oil fields and refineries in a handful of Gulf Arab nations.
—ABC News, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for escalate
Npr Staff, NPR, 12 Mar. 2026
And the escalating war in Iran is worrying some that higher prices across the board will soon follow.
—Heath Kalb, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026
Federal authorities have warned California law enforcement agencies that the state could be a potential target of a drone attack tied to the escalating war between Iran, the United States and Israel — though officials stress there is no confirmed or imminent threat.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
Iran has escalated its attacks aimed at generating enough global economic pain to pressure the United States and Israel to end the war, targeting oil fields and refineries in a handful of Gulf Arab nations.
—ABC News, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for escalate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalate
Verb
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This kind of early-season heat can also increase fire weather concerns across parts of Colorado, especially when warm temperatures combine with dry air and gusty winds.—
Joe Ruch,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
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But the Denver offense, which increased the pressure in the final minutes of the match, couldn’t find the back of the net again.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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China’s consumer-price growth accelerated to the quickest in over three years and factory deflation moderated again, after a rally in energy markets and as household spending boomed during a later-than-usual Lunar New Year holiday.—
Bloomberg News,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
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But record-breaking temperatures in recent years have led scientists to question whether the pace of temperature gains is accelerating.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Tan first rose to fame in the ’80s and ’90s as one of Singapore’s top male models, gracing magazine covers and campaigns across Asia.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Mar. 2026
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That is to say that the way the current system is set up distorts the healthcare economy in ways that don’t allow for much price competition, with ever-rising insurance premiums as the result.—
Jeremy Lott,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Situationist is also expanding its team, with a new office above the new store.—
Lucy Maguire,
Vogue,
10 Mar. 2026
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Republican lawmakers are opposed to expanding health care to undocumented immigrants, and particularly ready to attack Democrat efforts to raise new revenues to do so.—
Andrew Graham
March 9,
Sacbee.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In contrast, health care is a labor-intensive industry that’s become more central to the economy as baby boomers retire; the number of people collecting Social Security swelled by more than 2 million last year alone.—
Conor Sen,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
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Dreaming about winning that swelling $533 million Mega Millions prize?—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Finally, consider augmenting the winter landscape, when roses and many of their companions lie dormant.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
7 Mar. 2026
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This was the first Dragon launch from SLC-40 since the addition of a crew access arm to support Dragon launches from more than one Space Coast pad and augment normal launches from KSC’s Launch Pad 39-A.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Messenger Mercury conjoins ambitious Mars in your 3rd House of Communication, boosting errands and sibling talks, as well as putting more focus on practical, timely conversations.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
15 Mar. 2026
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Noem, who’d been willing to do virtually anything in the role to boost her standing, was a product of the White House agenda, never a shaper of it.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Moïse, who said she was born and raised in Haiti and had lived at the family home since 2015, described having as many as 30 to 50 guards around the home at all times.—
Tania Francois,
CBS News,
13 Mar. 2026
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Another audience member sensitively played Sam, the narrator’s love of his life, a relationship that reveals the long-term toll of being raised by a parent suffering from suicidal depression.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Escalate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escalate. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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