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
The situation during Sunday's IndyCar race at the World Wide Technology Raceway escalated quickly after Nolan Siegel launched an F-word-laden rant at Penske driver Scott McLaughlin.
—
Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025
Leadership stagnated, complexity escalated, and there was no accountability.
—Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
The latest in the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel.
—Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 19 June 2025
On that day, Trump escalated tensions in the city with the federalization of California National Guard troops for deployment in reaction to protests the day before against widespread ICE raids and detentions of the undocumented and even those with legal status.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for escalate
Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025
Leadership stagnated, complexity escalated, and there was no accountability.
—Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
The latest in the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel.
—Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 19 June 2025
On that day, Trump escalated tensions in the city with the federalization of California National Guard troops for deployment in reaction to protests the day before against widespread ICE raids and detentions of the undocumented and even those with legal status.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for escalate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalate
Verb
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The decision to decrease the tax rate comes after a recent revaluation that increased single-family home values in the county by about 58%.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
19 June 2025
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Ratcliffe has since increased his stake to nearly 30 per cent after spending a further $300m on new shares.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
Verb
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Putting oneself in those situations that challenge conversational comfort zones and embracing discomfort, tension and unresolved conflicts accelerates growth significantly.—
Chris Schembra,
Rolling Stone,
26 June 2025
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This can accelerate aging and increase the risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.—
Essence,
Essence,
26 June 2025
Verb
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Refill and reuse is a rising movement: both a return to commonsense practices our grandparents knew — and a path forward toward innovation.—
Rachel Bustamante,
Baltimore Sun,
28 June 2025
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The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
28 June 2025
Verb
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However, as has been the case with other annual shopping events, retailers expanded the promotional period to start May 13, a week earlier than in 2024, before ending June 18.—
Bernice Ooi,
CNBC,
20 June 2025
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Most significantly, 62% say their responsibilities have expanded significantly beyond their core reporting roles, with 37% reporting layoffs or buyouts at their organizations in the past year.—
Lilian Raji,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
Verb
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LoPresti said southern flannel moths sting through venomous hairs that can cause burning, numbness, swelling, and in severe cases, nausea or full-limb inflammation.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
23 June 2025
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As of Wednesday, the number had swelled to 1,218, according to the ACLU of Southern California.—
Jenny Jarvie,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2025
Verb
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Next, executives will pull draft decks, key performance indicators (KPIs) and reports from internal systems and augment them with AI summarization of complex documents into executive digests.—
Paroon Chadha,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
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This is the first of a new type of rideshare program flying to that orbit that augments SpaceX’s Transporter program that flies to SSO.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 June 2025
Verb
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Getty Images Cybercriminals have intensified their efforts to steal and sell online passwords, experts warn.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
26 June 2025
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Black women are often conditioned to prioritize others’ needs over their own, and this tendency may intensify during the summertime demands.—
Essence,
Essence,
26 June 2025
Verb
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However, analysts appear divided on whether the fees Reddit receives from Google and advertisers will be sufficient to boost its stock, reported Investor's Business Daily.—
Peter Cohan,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
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The power of combination Wu pointed out that acetaminophen appears to boost the pain-relief properties of other medications.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Escalate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escalate. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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