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
Rhaena is sent to Pentos with Rhaenyra’s sons, Joffrey, Viserys II and Aegon III to stay safe as the war escalates, but not without being given four dragon eggs by Rhaenyra.
—
Skyler Trepel,
PEOPLE,
22 June 2026
Taipei’s drills will simulate a scenario where China abruptly escalates one of its military exercises into an actual attack.
—
Lauren Morganbesser,
semafor.com,
21 June 2026
This escalates into a dragon chase and Aemond’s giant, ancient beast is overcome with bloodlust, killing Luke and his dragon much to the dismay of Aemond One-Eye.
—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
Set on a Japanese island during wartime, the story follows two girls from an all-girls school who are ordered to nurse the wounded in a military hospital concealed in a cave as violence escalates around them.
—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
16 June 2026
The measures include a range of travel bans and asset freezes aimed at disrupting flows of finance to extremist settler groups as violence escalates in the West Bank.
—
Shira Li Bartov,
Sun Sentinel,
15 June 2026
If the situation escalates or poses an immediate threat, the driver should call 911.
—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
15 June 2026
Find out how to get rid of your debt before the problem escalates.
—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
But when rivalry between sororities escalates and a body is found, ambition, loyalty, and sisterhood collide with deadly consequences.
—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
13 June 2026
Skyler Trepel,
PEOPLE,
22 June 2026
Taipei’s drills will simulate a scenario where China abruptly escalates one of its military exercises into an actual attack.
—
Lauren Morganbesser,
semafor.com,
21 June 2026
This escalates into a dragon chase and Aemond’s giant, ancient beast is overcome with bloodlust, killing Luke and his dragon much to the dismay of Aemond One-Eye.
—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
Set on a Japanese island during wartime, the story follows two girls from an all-girls school who are ordered to nurse the wounded in a military hospital concealed in a cave as violence escalates around them.
—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
16 June 2026
The measures include a range of travel bans and asset freezes aimed at disrupting flows of finance to extremist settler groups as violence escalates in the West Bank.
—
Shira Li Bartov,
Sun Sentinel,
15 June 2026
If the situation escalates or poses an immediate threat, the driver should call 911.
—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
15 June 2026
Find out how to get rid of your debt before the problem escalates.
—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
But when rivalry between sororities escalates and a body is found, ambition, loyalty, and sisterhood collide with deadly consequences.
—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
13 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalates
Verb
-
That increases borrowing costs across the wider economy, including people’s mortgage rates.
-
People taking diuretics, beta-blockers or any transdermal medication patches should check with a doctor first since heat significantly increases drug absorption through the skin.
Verb
-
Pipeline growth often accelerates for organizations that invest in content designed to genuinely help buyers evaluate challenges and make informed decisions.
-
Shares have jumped 80% in the year to date as an ongoing memory supply crunch accelerates the adoption of lithography equipment for the production of semiconductors required to power the AI revolution.
Verb
-
And when a bond is dumped, its yield — or the interest the government must pay new investors in those same bonds — rises.
-
Black smoke rises from the area of the Russian oil producer Gazprom Neft's Moscow oil refinery on the south-eastern outskirts of Moscow on June 18, 2026.
Verb
-
Usage spikes can happen suddenly, experimentation expands rapidly across teams and model selection decisions may be driven more by hype than operational efficiency.
-
The brand also expands its reach through digital tools, virtual consultants and ongoing training to maintain its product accessibility and integrity.
Verb
-
Weather service and public safety officials said the safest thing to do is to stay away from the beaches altogether until the southern swells start subsiding.
-
Storms and swells reshape the landscape.
Verb
-
Alternatively, the National Library of Medicine reports that sharing good news boosts mental toughness.
-
Combined, those supply boosts made the shock considerably more manageable for the market to absorb.
Verb
-
Very dry weather tends to lead to higher temperatures, which causes more evaporation that intensifies the drought—leading to even drier conditions, Myers explained.
-
Taiwan’s defense ministry on Sunday announced a five-day combat readiness exercise as China intensifies military activity around the island.
Verb
-
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.
-
The core group now augments itself with the bass clarinetist Madison Greenstone, trombonist Weston Olencki, and, for the first time in the band’s history, vocals.
Cite this Entry
“Escalates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escalates. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
