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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of escalating
Nastco | Getty Bitcoin tumbled more than 5% on Tuesday to fall below $63,000, as investors continued to grapple with escalating tariff tensions and broader geopolitical risks.
—
Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 24 Feb. 2026
Late Sunday morning, tourists in the small beachfront resort of Sayulita were warned to return to their hotel rooms and stay indoors because of the escalating violence.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 22 Feb. 2026
As the news spread, apparent supporters of the late cartel boss set fires to vehicles and blocked roads across western Mexico, prompting fears of escalating chaos in coming days and weeks.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026
Hungary vowed to block the latest round of EU sanctions against Moscow unless Ukraine restarts Russian oil flows to Hungary and Slovakia, escalating a dispute just before the war’s four-year anniversary.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 22 Feb. 2026
Including strategic sponsorship support, overall revenue doubled year-on-year from 2023 to 2025, and production volumes are set to rise by nearly 80% next season, Safdie says, to meet escalating demand.
—Amy Francombe, Vogue, 20 Feb. 2026
By 2050 this escalating waste stream is forecasted to be up to 10 million tons in the US alone.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 20 Feb. 2026
Iran held military drills with Russia on Thursday amid the escalating tensions, conducting exercises in the Gulf of Oman and Indian Ocean.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 20 Feb. 2026
His calm authority, wit, and quiet moral certainty is challenged by escalating reports of a mysterious affliction hitting the inhabitants of New York and beyond.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2026
Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 24 Feb. 2026
Late Sunday morning, tourists in the small beachfront resort of Sayulita were warned to return to their hotel rooms and stay indoors because of the escalating violence.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 22 Feb. 2026
As the news spread, apparent supporters of the late cartel boss set fires to vehicles and blocked roads across western Mexico, prompting fears of escalating chaos in coming days and weeks.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026
Hungary vowed to block the latest round of EU sanctions against Moscow unless Ukraine restarts Russian oil flows to Hungary and Slovakia, escalating a dispute just before the war’s four-year anniversary.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 22 Feb. 2026
Including strategic sponsorship support, overall revenue doubled year-on-year from 2023 to 2025, and production volumes are set to rise by nearly 80% next season, Safdie says, to meet escalating demand.
—Amy Francombe, Vogue, 20 Feb. 2026
By 2050 this escalating waste stream is forecasted to be up to 10 million tons in the US alone.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 20 Feb. 2026
Iran held military drills with Russia on Thursday amid the escalating tensions, conducting exercises in the Gulf of Oman and Indian Ocean.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 20 Feb. 2026
His calm authority, wit, and quiet moral certainty is challenged by escalating reports of a mysterious affliction hitting the inhabitants of New York and beyond.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalating
Verb
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Throughout these years, Ma began to feel an increasing sense of remorse at his complicity in this system, which sparked deeper soul-searching around his identity as a Muslim, and what that meant within Chinese society.—
Rebecca Wright,
CNN Money,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Beef prices have been increasing since the beginning of the decade.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As a result, forward profit margin expectations are actively accelerating for companies successfully utilizing AI.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
26 Feb. 2026
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Such a visit could be the ticket to turning down the temperature in a rapidly accelerating sub-regional showdown whose costs will be borne by the sub-region’s approximately 200 million people.—
Cameron Hudson,
semafor.com,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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These aircraft are capable of operating from naval ships, enhancing Tokyo’s tactical flexibility amid rising tensions with Beijing.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
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Friends of the Parks and Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois had hoped to force the removal of the new steel-and-glass arena rising within the colonnades of the 1924 stadium.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In his closing remarks at the congress, Kim doubled down on expanding the nation’s nuclear arsenal.—
Will Ripley,
CNN Money,
26 Feb. 2026
-
The company currently has 282 active customers and are expanding each day.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Medics rushed him in critical condition to Brookdale University Hospital with bleeding and swelling on the brain, according to court papers.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
26 Feb. 2026
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In South Carolina, multiple people, including children, have been hospitalized with a form of brain swelling called encephalitis, which can lead to permanent intellectual disability or deafness, and in some cases turn fatal.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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If China is to meet its ambitious growth targets, Beijing will need to shift spending from industrial subsidies, which are creating deflationary pressures, to boosting the social safety net.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
25 Feb. 2026
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Lowe’s acquisitions focus on pro customers Last year, Lowe’s made two major acquisitions aimed at boosting the company’s pro sales amid slow DIY demand.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The fork in the road was right there in front of them, one a direction of resetting, one of augmenting.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
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Preservation was part of the conversation when the two connected, but both were also focused on revitalization and augmenting the structure’s old-world charms with something fresh and modern.—
Lina Lecaro,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Escalating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escalating. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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