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
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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
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But there are several notable categories where the quality increases with cost, and one of those is noise-canceling headphones.—
Maggie Slepian,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
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Pushing frozen branches upright quickly increases the chances of breakage.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Honda accelerates, colliding with two parked vehicles and a light post.—
Devon Lum,
Twin Cities,
8 Jan. 2026
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The nation’s siloed and shrinking media environment accelerates this trend.—
Brandon Rottinghaus,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
When wet clothes are placed near exterior walls—which are much colder than interior walls in the winter—moisture rises to the cold surface, creating the perfect conditions for trapping moisture and causing mold growth.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
-
During this season, sap rises to the top of the tree.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This foldable tote bag packs flat, expands instantly, and can carry souvenirs, beach gear, or laundry.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Nov. 2025
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That's how the music conveys that, expands it.—
Gerrad Hall,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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While the number of retirees swells, the pool of workers funding the social safety net — and caring for the aging population — is narrowing.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
7 Jan. 2026
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There's a sort of a natural world religiousness or spirituality or philosophy that swells around a lot of things and different characters.—
Rebecca Ford,
Vanity Fair,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The conditioner’s nourishing formula also tames frizz, boosts moisture, and enhances shine.—
Alyssa Morin,
InStyle,
9 Jan. 2026
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In this edition…Why some workers feel a sense of loss while AI boosts productivity…Anthropic raising fresh $10 Billion at $350 billion valuation…Musk’s xAI closed $20 billion funding with Nvidia backing…Can AI do your job?—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Arctic competition intensifies as Russia boosts military presence and China declares itself a ‘near-Arctic state,’ making Greenland crucial for North American defense.—
Danica Kirka,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
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Two days later, Mars conjunct Pluto in your fourth house intensifies emotional undercurrents tied to family, home, or old survival patterns.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 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,
4 Jan. 2026
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Agreeing to a three-year contract with Tatsuya Imai augments a rotation bracing for the loss of Framber Valdez while leaving a footprint in a market this franchise rarely explores.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
2 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Escalates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escalates. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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