escalate

verb

es·​ca·​late ˈe-skə-ˌlāt How to pronounce escalate (audio)
nonstandard
-skyə- How to pronounce escalate (audio)
escalated; escalating
Synonyms of escalate

intransitive verb

: to increase in extent, volume, number, amount, intensity, or scope
… a little war threatens to escalate into a huge ugly one …—Mike Mansfield

transitive verb

: expand sense 2
escalation
ˌe-skə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce escalate (audio)
nonstandard -skyə-
noun
escalatory
ˈe-skə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce escalate (audio)
nonstandard -skyə-
adjective

Synonyms of escalate

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Examples of escalate in a Sentence

The conflict has escalated into an all-out war. a time of escalating tensions We are trying not to escalate the violence. Salaries of leading executives have continued to escalate. The cold weather has escalated fuel prices.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Summary Coastal and high-risk hotels face soaring insurance premiums, up 45-100%, as natural catastrophe losses escalate. — Josipa Majic Predin, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 While some of the skills were previously taught in limited high school modules, the new version escalates this training for children as young as 13. — Bloomberg, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026 There are also increasing concerns that the Russia-Ukraine war could escalate, amid reports that CIA chief John Ratcliffe have made a secretive Moscow trip to warn Russia against attacking NATO. — Justina Lee, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026 Poor Anton has been left out of the drama all day, an effort by Billie and Samir to prevent an already bad futzing from escalating to something severe, and that’s never where Anton likes to be. — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for escalate

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from escalator

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of escalate was in 1944

Phrases Containing escalate

Rhymes for escalate

See All Rhymes for escalate

Browse Nearby Words

escalado
escalate
escalation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Escalate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/escalate. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

escalate

verb
es·​ca·​late ˈes-kə-ˌlāt How to pronounce escalate (audio)
escalated; escalating
: to increase in extent, volume, or scope : expand
escalate prices
escalation
ˌes-kə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce escalate (audio)
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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