ESCALATION Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

escalation

noun

Definition of escalation

as in expansion

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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 escalation The Swalwell weekend searches represent a significant escalation of the investigation, bringing federal authorities directly into the case. — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 20 Aug. 2026 The federal searches mark a significant escalation in the investigation. — Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026 Both countries had incentives to head off an escalation in trade tensions. — ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026 The Revolutionary Guard has also devised new plans for further escalation including pre-emptive strikes. — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2026 Introducing nuclear weapons into volatile regional disputes also drastically raises the stakes for unintended escalation, Facini added. — Anniek Bao,lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026 This kind of uncontrolled escalation will almost certainly lead to more wars. — Mark Leonard, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 City official calls removal ‘unnecessary escalation’ As the meeting continued, another attendee called Miller’s removal from the chambers disappointing and shameful to see someone who was speaking up thrown to the ground. — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 18 Aug. 2026 The organization had attempted to address escalation in its second restructuring by creating a decision-making committee. — Byleonie H. Mattison, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalation

Noun

But cultivating consumer trust, as opposed to pursuing rapid product expansion and chasing virality, has become a defining — and differentiating — aspect of Westman Atelier’s go-to-market model.

— Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026
Generac announced investing $250 million in its factory expansion and expects to add 1,000 employees to its headcount as data center orders continue to roll in.

— Rachel Wells, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of expansion

Noun

Uncertainty about when the war with Iran will allow oil tankers to freely exit the Persian Gulf again has roiled markets, causing oil prices to rise and pushing up Treasury yields due to worries over inflation.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
Gas prices remain high, and a Federal Reserve official said Sunday that the US’s inflation target may remain out of reach until the war ends.

— Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of inflation

Noun

The growth trajectory Neville talks about — industry sources estimate the brand will reach $100 million in net revenue this year — has not gone unnoticed by the industry.

— Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026
With rising geopolitical tensions, a surge in domestic competition and a disconnect from the Chinese consumer, American companies have lost ground in the region that once offered fuel for growth.

— Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of growth

Noun

This can happen as a result of nerve damage and prostate gland enlargement, among other conditions.

— Adam England, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026
Surely under our Constitution and laws the enlargement of our limits is a manifestation of the highest attribute of sovereignty, and if entered upon as an Executive act all things relating to the transaction should be clear and free from suspicion.

— Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of enlargement

Noun

As the temperature creeps into the upper 50s and 60s, the body has a tougher time supplying blood to muscles while also keeping the body cool.

— Scott McFetridge, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
Then there's support for the optional Polar Cooler, which routes chilled air toward the extruder and filament path to reduce heat creep during hotter chamber operation—further reinforcing the Max 4’s focus on sustained high-temperature printing.

— Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of creep

Noun

The fully active 2-way design has DSP control and dedicated amplification for each driver, which reduces distortion and keeps the sound balanced as the volume levels change.

— Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Even so, sonic adventurers, beginning with Leopold Stokowski in the 1930s, experimented with amplification in an obsessive, seemingly quixotic effort to locate a mythical sonic grail on the Cahuenga Pass.

— Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026

Definition of amplification

Noun

Other symptoms include difficulty breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension, and constipation.

— Saleen Martin, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension, and constipation may also be common symptoms.

— Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 21 Jan. 2026

Definition of distension

Noun

Artificial intelligence has enabled the rapid rise of such tools, capable of digitally manipulating photos with little effort.

— Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
Although holiday spending plans are not particularly negative, many shoppers are feeling the effects of years of inflation and the recent rise in gas prices.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of rise

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escalation

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“Escalation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escalation. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of escalation

noun

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