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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of escalates
Venus in Scorpio escalates emotional feelings around your financial security and safety.
—
Usa Today, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
But Meredith’s not laughing, and the back-and-forth escalates enough for Captain Jason, who was meant to join the women for dessert, to slip away from the table unnoticed.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
Whether the strategy succeeds—or escalates into direct conflict—remains uncertain.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Tracy’s dialogue, though absent the staccato non sequiturs of the director’s earlier work, has a bracing nastiness; every visual flourish and every menacing thrum of the score, by Jerskin Fendrix, escalates the intensity of Stone and Plemons’s bravura showdown.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025
Once an athlete shares a nugget or two on a teammate’s injury or a coach’s scheme, the blackmail escalates.
—Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 24 Oct. 2025
What begins as a friendly rivalry, quickly escalates to an all-out holiday showdown.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
In the scene, when Zoey and Mira catch sight of the guys, their eyes turn into bulging red hearts, then change shape several more times as the attraction escalates.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 20 Oct. 2025
When Kayla finally asks Kate to either collect her things or contribute a small amount toward rent, the situation escalates.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Usa Today, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
But Meredith’s not laughing, and the back-and-forth escalates enough for Captain Jason, who was meant to join the women for dessert, to slip away from the table unnoticed.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
Whether the strategy succeeds—or escalates into direct conflict—remains uncertain.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Tracy’s dialogue, though absent the staccato non sequiturs of the director’s earlier work, has a bracing nastiness; every visual flourish and every menacing thrum of the score, by Jerskin Fendrix, escalates the intensity of Stone and Plemons’s bravura showdown.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025
Once an athlete shares a nugget or two on a teammate’s injury or a coach’s scheme, the blackmail escalates.
—Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 24 Oct. 2025
What begins as a friendly rivalry, quickly escalates to an all-out holiday showdown.
—Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
In the scene, when Zoey and Mira catch sight of the guys, their eyes turn into bulging red hearts, then change shape several more times as the attraction escalates.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 20 Oct. 2025
When Kayla finally asks Kate to either collect her things or contribute a small amount toward rent, the situation escalates.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalates
Verb
-
Until the state increases those reimbursement levels or offers new incentives for participation, access to care is likely to stay uneven.—
Sixteen Ramos,
AZCentral.com,
6 Nov. 2025
-
However, normalizing sleep deprivation increases the risk of the signs and symptoms going unnoticed or not being taken seriously.—
Ashley Olivine,
Verywell Health,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Even the tamer shows are cause for concern, like Spin the Wheel, which puts quiz contestants in a large hamster wheel that accelerates with every incorrect answer, resulting in injuries or worse.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Nov. 2025
-
This approach enhances the adsorption of lithium polysulfides and accelerates their redox reactions, thereby mitigating the shuttle effect and improving overall kinetics.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Even as this risk rises rapidly, there are still plans for launching mega constellations of tiny satellites akin to those that are already orbiting as part of SpaceX’s Starlink system, along with a newly emerging push for orbital data centers such as Nvidia’s Starcloud.—
Humberto Basilio,
Scientific American,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The film is based on the true story of Joseph ‘Lupo’ Rulli (Interdonato), a legendary New Jersey boxer plagued with polio before his career peaks, who then rises as a mobster in the Bonanno Crime family, while his older brother Dennis (Stahl) becomes a decorated State Policeman in the same town.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
This foldable tote bag packs flat, expands instantly, and can carry souvenirs, beach gear, or laundry.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Nov. 2025
-
That's how the music conveys that, expands it.—
Gerrad Hall,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
For me, the feeling of nailing a big, screen-clearing combo while the music swells to a crescendo is well worth the grind.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The loss of sea ice in the ocean next to Hektoria, believed to have been driven by ocean warmth, allowed wave swells to reach the fast ice and break it up, leaving the glacier exposed to ocean forces.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The team claimed that being able to predict drag accurately at an early design stage helps deliver a design that boosts the fuel efficiency of an aircraft.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Nov. 2025
-
One reason may be that the carbohydrates and nutrients in produce help the brain absorb tryptophan, an amino acid that boosts levels of melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate sleep, the scientists said.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Unfortunately for the squeamish 12-year-old me, the lifelike fluidity intensifies the story’s body-horror elements.—
The Atlantic Culture Desk,
The Atlantic,
29 Oct. 2025
-
The danger intensifies when storm surge coincides with high tide, rapidly elevating water levels and increasing the risk of widespread flooding.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Avery’s model augments the traditional VC model.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
-
To enhance the verisimilitude of his wraparound segment, Cheel augments the fictional story of alien-contact footage discovered at a yard sale with nonfiction asides about UFO culture.—
A.A. Dowd,
Vulture,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Escalates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escalates. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share