Synonyms of escalates

escalates

verb

present tense third-person singular of escalate

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

• increases
• rises
• accelerates
• swells
• expands
• intensifies
• climbs
• multiplies
• proliferates
• waxes
• accumulates
• spreads
• enlarges
• surges
• snowballs
• mounts
• mushrooms
• rolls up
• heightens
• booms
• appreciates
• jumps
• gains
• builds up
• burgeons
• balloons
• skyrockets
• redoubles
• inflates
• distends
• rockets
• puffs (up)
• peaks
• bulks
• crests
• crescendoes
• blows up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• decreases
• diminishes
• lessens
• recedes
• wanes
• contracts
• dwindles

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

• increases
• accelerates
• expands
• boosts
• augments
• raises
• multiplies
• extends
• intensifies
• enhances
• amplifies
• adds (to)
• reinforces
• swells
• enlarges
• maximizes
• stokes
• strengthens
• ups
• compounds
• builds up
• aggrandizes
• hypes
• heightens
• develops
• supersizes
• pumps up
• lengthens
• jumps
• inflates
• prolongs
• skyrockets
• spikes
• dilates
• supplements
• distends
• elongates
• complements
• stretches
• bumps (up)
• booms
• draws out
• magnifies
• accumulates
• protracts
• blows up
• ratchets (up)
• fleshes (out)
• amasses
• rachets (up)
• collects
• beefs (up)
• follows up
• parlays

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• decreases
• reduces
• diminishes
• lessens
• lowers
• abates
• dwindles
• downsizes
• subtracts (from)
• shortens
• curtails
• de-escalates
• abbreviates
• abridges
• compresses
• minifies
• condenses
• constricts
• contracts
• retrenches
• cuts back

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of escalates

An attacker gains initial access, establishes persistence, escalates privileges, moves laterally and eventually achieves an objective such as data theft or disruption. — Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026

Further complications ensue as Wyatt and Kai’s flirtation escalates in ways that are supposed to make viewers feel uncomfortable, but not grossed out. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026

Washington should push Riyadh to negotiate before its conflict with the Houthis escalates further and sends the price of energy even higher—or threatens the stability of Saudi Arabia itself. — Richard Haass, Foreign Affairs, 23 Sep. 2026

But if violence escalates and keeps a choke hold on traffic, prices could reach $95 to $120 a barrel, while damage to major energy infrastructure could produce spikes of up to $150 a barrel, the analysts wrote. — Aamer Madhani, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026

But if violence escalates and keeps a chokehold on traffic, prices could reach $95 to $120 a barrel, while damage to major energy infrastructure could produce spikes of up to $150 a barrel, the analysts wrote. — Aamer Madhani, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2026

The agent reads a contract, finds the clause, fills in the field, and escalates the exception. — Eshaan Jain, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Russia escalates attacks near Polish border Russia has stepped up its attacks near the Polish border in recent weeks, including in Yahodyn, which is a major pathway for Western military and humanitarian aid into Ukraine. — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026

As the financial press dials up estimates of total investment in data centers—from hundreds of billions to lately several trillion dollars—the fear of compute overcapacity, low or negative returns, and a recession escalates. — Harvard Business Review, 11 Sep. 2026