1
as in increases
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 accelerates
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 escalates
Overstate it and public anxiety escalates rapidly through social media ecosystems built for worst-case scenarios.
—
Steve Brozak, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Ad war escalates Democratic candidate for governor, and former Atlanta mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms (center) leaves a voting precinct with her family after voting in the Georgia Democratic primary last week.
—Adam Beam, AJC.com, 15 May 2026
In a video about an erratic Uber driver, a recognizable dynamic—awkward small talk, impatience to set off—escalates into a life-threatening one.
—Alex Barasch, New Yorker, 11 May 2026
The conflict escalates when Stoner fails Lomax’s protégé, Charles Walker, a student who fakes his seminar report and lacks basic knowledge.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
If the situation escalates, the CDC could increase the level.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 8 May 2026
While his bravado initially masks fear, Billy ultimately reveals unexpected courage, emerging as an unlikely ally as danger escalates.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 6 May 2026
From there, the immune system escalates.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 6 May 2026
While the blocking measure is not likely to derail the Xi-Trump summit, Washington’s reaction to it will indicate if the matter escalates, according to analysts from Eurasia Group.
—Bloomberg, Fortune, 4 May 2026
Steve Brozak, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Ad war escalates Democratic candidate for governor, and former Atlanta mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms (center) leaves a voting precinct with her family after voting in the Georgia Democratic primary last week.
—Adam Beam, AJC.com, 15 May 2026
In a video about an erratic Uber driver, a recognizable dynamic—awkward small talk, impatience to set off—escalates into a life-threatening one.
—Alex Barasch, New Yorker, 11 May 2026
The conflict escalates when Stoner fails Lomax’s protégé, Charles Walker, a student who fakes his seminar report and lacks basic knowledge.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
If the situation escalates, the CDC could increase the level.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 8 May 2026
While his bravado initially masks fear, Billy ultimately reveals unexpected courage, emerging as an unlikely ally as danger escalates.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 6 May 2026
From there, the immune system escalates.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 6 May 2026
While the blocking measure is not likely to derail the Xi-Trump summit, Washington’s reaction to it will indicate if the matter escalates, according to analysts from Eurasia Group.
—Bloomberg, Fortune, 4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalates
Verb
-
China’s drive for technological self-sufficiency channels ever more resources into expanding industrial capacity, which, against a backdrop of weak domestic demand, only increases its dependence on exports.—
Neil Shearing,
Time,
20 May 2026
-
Furthermore, heat increases electrical resistance for EV batteries and chargers, resulting in longer, more taxing charging sessions.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Sulentic also admitted that community opposition to data centers has intensified as the AI infrastructure boom accelerates.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
20 May 2026
-
Domain-specific or compliance-ready models may maintain durable market positions even as general-purpose consolidation accelerates.—
Mayur Khandelwal,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
The amount that can be contributed to a Roth IRA is phased out as MAGI rises.—
Bob Carlson,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
Now the summer road trip season is approaching, when gasoline demand traditionally rises.—
Bloomberg News,
Boston Herald,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
The rollout of Gemini Omni Flash is currently limited to select subscription tiers in the Gemini app, with broader access expected as the deployment expands.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
22 May 2026
-
In an interview included in press notes for the documentary, the director expands on his vision of providing a balanced view of history.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Throughout, visiting tourist Madeleine (Kristen Stewart) stuffs her face with every kind of meat, vegetable and carb while her father Phil (Woody Harrelson) is the one whose stomach miraculously swells.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
-
Buffett recently acknowledged displeasure with the investing backdrop as Berkshire's cash hoard swells to a record nearing $400 billion.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
And that significantly boosts forgiveness on off-center hits.—
Scott Kramer,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
Miami-Dade voters will decide this fall whether to keep a property tax that boosts teacher pay and provides extra dollars for school security.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
19 May 2026
Verb
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Ocean spot freight rates increased by double digits this week as ocean carriers tack on more emergency fuel surcharges and begin setting up peak season surcharges, even as China intensifies regulatory scrutiny over carriers’ freight rate transparency and filing practices.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
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The 1922 agreement that divided the water among the states doled out more than was actually flowing, and since 2000, the river has shrunk dramatically as climate change intensifies dry conditions in the Rocky Mountains.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
The adjacent roles that AI augments rather than replaces—positions that require contextual judgment, client relationship management, complex problem-solving, or physical presence—are the destination the transition heads toward.—
Jason Kirsch,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
That turns the chatbot from a substitute for care into something that augments the therapeutic alliance between you and your care team.—
Sudheesha Perera,
Time,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Escalates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escalates. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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