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
The woman is seen pouring what appears to be hot sauce over Martinez's food before the confrontation quickly escalates.
—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
25 June 2026
Violations for improperly using fireworks are a Class C Misdemeanor with fines up to $200, escalating to a Class B Misdemeanor with fines up to $2,000 or 180 days in jail if property damage tops $200 or someone is injured, per the Tarrant County Fire Marshal’s Office.
—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 June 2026
The game started steady then escalated with three back-to-back goals in the final 15 minutes.
—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
25 June 2026
Employers who provide health insurance for most working-age Americans are dealing with escalating costs.
—
Ken Alltucker,
USA Today,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for escalate
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
25 June 2026
Violations for improperly using fireworks are a Class C Misdemeanor with fines up to $200, escalating to a Class B Misdemeanor with fines up to $2,000 or 180 days in jail if property damage tops $200 or someone is injured, per the Tarrant County Fire Marshal’s Office.
—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 June 2026
The game started steady then escalated with three back-to-back goals in the final 15 minutes.
—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
25 June 2026
Employers who provide health insurance for most working-age Americans are dealing with escalating costs.
—
Ken Alltucker,
USA Today,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for escalate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalate
Verb
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Your visibility increases with the start of Cancer season.
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Health officials said the risk of exposure could increase as summer travel ramps up and Los Angeles welcomes international visitors for FIFA World Cup events being held in the region.
Verb
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Britain's revolving door of prime minister, affecting both Labour and Conservative parties, accelerated in the wake of the 2016 Brexit vote to leave the European Union economic bloc.
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And the pace of technology change is only accelerating.
Verb
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Why the at-home mani pedi trend is growing Three forces are driving the shift, including DIY beauty habits that stuck after the pandemic, the rising price of salon services and a steady stream of social tutorials that make at-home nails feel achievable.
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Estate sales are also a source, though Miranda-Martin feels the rising popularity of these sales in Los Angeles has led to an increase in pricing.
Verb
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Love’s Travel Stops just expanded its service offerings for RVs, including light maintenance, battery replacement and tire replacement.
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California's new personal finance graduation requirement The lessons come as California prepares to expand financial education statewide.
Verb
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Sense of place The river — which swells with spring snowmelt — and surrounding wilderness give the property a strong sense of place.
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Symptoms can be mild to severe and range from nausea, itching, abdominal pain, swelling of the lips to life-threatening symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.
Verb
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The technology is designed to act as a co-pilot, augmenting rather than replacing the training, professionalism and instinct of experienced emergency personnel.
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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.
Verb
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The couple had their second baby late last year, with support from a program launched by the government in 2013 to boost Parsi numbers.
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This herb may boost the immune system’s response to certain infections, including upper respiratory infections and skin infections.
Verb
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Relatives identified the food vendor as Arabelia Martinez, 62, and have raised more than $100,000 to pay for therapy and replace the items damaged in the incident.
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Jake embraced his stepparent role wholeheartedly and helped raise Alex alongside Antonio and Rochelle.
Cite this Entry
“Escalate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escalate. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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