1
as in increasing
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 accelerating
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 escalating
This escalating conflict, marked by mixed court results and difficult enforcement, suggests an inevitable Supreme Court showdown to define their future regulation.
—
Nathan Goldman,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
Temperatures on the ocean surface hit a record high in June, European scientists warned Wednesday, fueling fears of more dangerous heat waves this summer and fanning concerns over the escalating global climate crisis.
—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC news,
1 July 2026
Brennan believes the league should prevent the situation from escalating before Clark suffers a serious injury and the WNBA loses its biggest attraction.
—
Bobby Burack Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
30 June 2026
Wildfire activity is gradually escalating across multiple geographic areas, the fire center said on June 25.
—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
29 June 2026
The United States and Iran late Sunday pulled back from their escalating attacks over the Strait of Hormuz, a flare-up that had tested a fragile ceasefire and called into question both sides’ desire to avoid a full return to battle.
—
Scott Peterson,
Christian Science Monitor,
29 June 2026
After a fight with their dragons, Lucerys was killed by Aemond and his dragon Vhagar, which serves as a key moment in escalating the Dance of the Dragons Targaryen civil war.
—
Skyler Trepel,
PEOPLE,
22 June 2026
The tensions around the negotiations The negotiations proceeded under a cloud of escalating tensions.
—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
22 June 2026
Ultimately, though, the decision to close Alligator Alcatraz was due primarily to the escalating cost of operating the facility.
—
Jim Defede,
CBS News,
22 June 2026
Nathan Goldman,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
Temperatures on the ocean surface hit a record high in June, European scientists warned Wednesday, fueling fears of more dangerous heat waves this summer and fanning concerns over the escalating global climate crisis.
—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC news,
1 July 2026
Brennan believes the league should prevent the situation from escalating before Clark suffers a serious injury and the WNBA loses its biggest attraction.
—
Bobby Burack Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
30 June 2026
Wildfire activity is gradually escalating across multiple geographic areas, the fire center said on June 25.
—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
29 June 2026
The United States and Iran late Sunday pulled back from their escalating attacks over the Strait of Hormuz, a flare-up that had tested a fragile ceasefire and called into question both sides’ desire to avoid a full return to battle.
—
Scott Peterson,
Christian Science Monitor,
29 June 2026
After a fight with their dragons, Lucerys was killed by Aemond and his dragon Vhagar, which serves as a key moment in escalating the Dance of the Dragons Targaryen civil war.
—
Skyler Trepel,
PEOPLE,
22 June 2026
The tensions around the negotiations The negotiations proceeded under a cloud of escalating tensions.
—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
22 June 2026
Ultimately, though, the decision to close Alligator Alcatraz was due primarily to the escalating cost of operating the facility.
—
Jim Defede,
CBS News,
22 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalating
Verb
-
As summer arrives, snow begins melting, ice hardens and rocks loosen, increasing the risk of falls and rockfall.
-
When patients can’t pay, hospitals absorb the costs and pass them onto people with insurance by increasing prices, studies show.
Verb
-
The financial struggles led to them not being able to pay vendors, which led key brands to stop sending the retailers products to sell, further accelerating its decline.
-
The move comes amid rising demand for local asset servicing, with Saudi Arabia accelerating the development of its capital markets as part of its Vision 2030 agenda.
Verb
-
The camp is open to rising high school juniors and seniors, and most of the attendees were from Lake and Porter counties.
-
By Saturday the official death toll had climbed past 1,400, with thousands injured and tens of thousands reported missing—figures the authorities acknowledged were still rising.
Verb
-
Your 12th House of Rest and Reflection opens wider as Jupiter arrives, expanding your inner world and asking for generous rest that renews focus.
-
This diverse, global podcast journalism is vital for informing creators, advertisers, and the expanding audience, reflecting podcasting's evolving identity and widespread appeal.
Verb
-
However, due to swelling, Lasko still doesn’t have feeling in his lower half just yet.
-
The pair were pushed into the body wherever swelling threatened a patient’s health, or exploration of an inner cavity was warranted.
Verb
-
For example, a recent study found that remote workers coming to the office one day a month increases productivity by 8% and cuts attrition by a third while boosting job satisfaction and improving communication.
-
QuEra’s machines operate using neutral atoms that are held in a grid by lasers, so raising the qubit count is largely a matter of boosting the laser capacity.
Verb
-
The technology is designed to act as a co-pilot, augmenting rather than replacing the training, professionalism and instinct of experienced emergency personnel.
-
With Ethan Hawke's newbie simmering against the go-for-broke finesse of Denzel Washington's very bad, no-good officer, Training Day revels in tension, with washes of blue and green augmenting scenes where Hawke is bullied into getting high.
Cite this Entry
“Escalating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escalating. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
