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
This move escalates the AI trade war to the model level, amidst a fragmented global tech environment and rising Chinese AI dominance.
—
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
The woman is seen pouring what appears to be hot sauce over Martinez's food before the confrontation quickly escalates.
—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
25 June 2026
The format escalates through semi-finals and a final scheduled for June 25, intensifying constraints to simulate high-pressure competitive conditions.
—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
24 June 2026
Knowing the warning signs and acting before heat stress escalates is, at this point, a basic survival skill for summer.
—
Allison Palmer
updated June 24,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 June 2026
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
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
Alexander Puutio,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
The woman is seen pouring what appears to be hot sauce over Martinez's food before the confrontation quickly escalates.
—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
25 June 2026
The format escalates through semi-finals and a final scheduled for June 25, intensifying constraints to simulate high-pressure competitive conditions.
—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
24 June 2026
Knowing the warning signs and acting before heat stress escalates is, at this point, a basic survival skill for summer.
—
Allison Palmer
updated June 24,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 June 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalates
Verb
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That increases borrowing costs across the wider economy, including people’s mortgage rates.
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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
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Discovery process accelerates For decades, scientists have relied largely on trial and error to discover superconducting materials.
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Problem-solving accelerates because feedback is immediate, silos begin to break down and team members feel empowered to contribute.
Verb
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And when a bond is dumped, its yield — or the interest the government must pay new investors in those same bonds — rises.
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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
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Usage spikes can happen suddenly, experimentation expands rapidly across teams and model selection decisions may be driven more by hype than operational efficiency.
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The brand also expands its reach through digital tools, virtual consultants and ongoing training to maintain its product accessibility and integrity.
Verb
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Most people only hear about it when a lymph node swells during a cold, or when a social media video promises a gua sha stone will detox their face.
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And if out-of-towners are visiting, the ranks of the older timers swells a few more.
Verb
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Alternatively, the National Library of Medicine reports that sharing good news boosts mental toughness.
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Combined, those supply boosts made the shock considerably more manageable for the market to absorb.
Verb
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Very dry weather tends to lead to higher temperatures, which causes more evaporation that intensifies the drought—leading to even drier conditions, Myers explained.
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Taiwan’s defense ministry on Sunday announced a five-day combat readiness exercise as China intensifies military activity around the island.
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.
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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 1 Jul. 2026.
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