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
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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
What first reads like random abuse escalates into a relentless campaign of terror against Mats and his family, as the situation begins to uncover a dark, multi-layered story rooted more than 40 years earlier.
—
Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 17 Feb. 2026
When tax debt escalates into IRS notices, penalties and collection actions, many taxpayers look for professional tax relief help navigating the system.
—Deane Biermeier, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
China escalates Taiwan tensions In December, China escalated tensions to new levels with a military display in the waters off Taiwan.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
Every scene escalates, every beat matters.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 4 Feb. 2026
Less than thirty seconds before Pretti is shot, the clash between immigration agents and the observers escalates.
—Yahya Abou-Ghazala, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Lawyers for the plaintiffs said the new policy eliminated a guardrail designed to protect people’s rights as ICE escalates enforcement operations in numerous states including Minnesota with aggressive tactics that several judges had ruled unlawful.
—Reuters, NBC news, 30 Jan. 2026
The oversharing Cynthia immediately passes this information on to her daughter, leading to a meet-cute in the laundry room that quickly escalates into Mary becoming, well, alien pregnant.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2026
For some Texans, that stress escalates after a vehicle is repossessed — followed by intimidating notices warning that wages could be garnished to collect the remaining balance.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 21 Jan. 2026
Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 17 Feb. 2026
When tax debt escalates into IRS notices, penalties and collection actions, many taxpayers look for professional tax relief help navigating the system.
—Deane Biermeier, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
China escalates Taiwan tensions In December, China escalated tensions to new levels with a military display in the waters off Taiwan.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
Every scene escalates, every beat matters.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 4 Feb. 2026
Less than thirty seconds before Pretti is shot, the clash between immigration agents and the observers escalates.
—Yahya Abou-Ghazala, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Lawyers for the plaintiffs said the new policy eliminated a guardrail designed to protect people’s rights as ICE escalates enforcement operations in numerous states including Minnesota with aggressive tactics that several judges had ruled unlawful.
—Reuters, NBC news, 30 Jan. 2026
The oversharing Cynthia immediately passes this information on to her daughter, leading to a meet-cute in the laundry room that quickly escalates into Mary becoming, well, alien pregnant.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2026
For some Texans, that stress escalates after a vehicle is repossessed — followed by intimidating notices warning that wages could be garnished to collect the remaining balance.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 21 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalates
Verb
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While a certain amount of planning and foresight can be helpful, sometimes doing more just increases anxiety and exhaustion.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
18 Feb. 2026
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Delaying his return also increases the Mavericks’ chances to secure the highest possible lottery position for this summer’s NBA draft.—
Mike Curtis,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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According to the company, Roboto Origin has attracted top global talent, from university researchers to Fortune 500 engineers and startup technical teams, forming a collaborative network that accelerates innovation beyond individual organizations.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Feb. 2026
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Once average winter temperatures hit minus-8 degrees Celsius (17 Fahrenheit), snow loss accelerates rapidly even with modest increases in warming, the researchers found.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Studies show that at 35 mph, the risk of severe or fatal injury for a pedestrian rises to more than 50%, compared with less than 20% at 25 mph.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
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When inflation rises, wages often increase, but whether workers or owners actually gain depends on who can better adjust.—
Victoria Baeza Garcia,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The love expands, the circle widens, the tradition shifts.—
Natasha Pickowicz,
Vogue,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Last month, Illinois took a major step forward with the signing of the Clean Slate Act (HB 1836), a bipartisan law that expands opportunity and strengthens Illinois’ economy.—
Curtis Reed,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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If inspiration swells later, let heart and practicality share the lead.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
19 Feb. 2026
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Small craft should exercise caution near inlets due to long period swells, according to NWS Melbourne.—
Garfield Hylton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The new models show that rotation significantly boosts the mixing power of these waves.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
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Getting enough fiber boosts digestive health, stabilizes blood sugar, and lowers the risk of certain chronic conditions.—
Mark Gurarie,
Health,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Driving a backup car after crashing in the Duels intensifies Byron’s challenge to three-peat.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 Feb. 2026
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Nigerian energy companies have ramped up oil production over the past year as the government intensifies its efforts to restart dormant refineries and monetize untapped gas reserves.—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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,
20 Feb. 2026
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HoloRadar augments the safety of autonomous robots by complementing existing sensors rather than replacing them.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Escalates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escalates. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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