ESCALATING Synonyms: 100 Similar and Opposite Words

escalating

verb

present participle of escalate

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

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 Send one clear message—and then stop chasing When someone abruptly goes quiet, the goal is to respond without escalating the conflict while staying grounded in your own needs, Needle says. — Angela Haupt, Time, 26 Aug. 2026 While safety and code compliance matter, treating high-profile participants with escalating six-figure penalties risks chilling the very partners that amplify San Diego’s largest annual economic event. — U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 The move came Monday amid growing economic pressure and public frustration being felt in Russia after months of escalating Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries and e-commerce hubs that have caused nationwide disruptions. — ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026 The series of attacks has shaken the members of the community, despite most users recognizing there was not much that the Cara team could do in the face of escalating capabilities of scrapers and hackers. — Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026 The warring countries are locked in an escalating duel of long-range aerial strikes. — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026 The escalating conflict pushed Brent crude, the international benchmark, from about $71 a barrel at the start of the month to above $100 by July 23. — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026 What the outbreak means for Americans Despite the escalating death toll in Africa, health officials emphasize that the average American faces very little threat from Ebola. — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026 The president’s ruse to leave Turkey came at a point where the war with Iran was escalating. — Michael Loria, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalating

Verb

Qantas said demand for international travel remained strong, with both Qantas and its low-cost carrier Jetstar increasing capacity and unit revenue, although higher fuel costs weighed on international earnings.

— Jenny Lee, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
His foundation is aiming to spend $200 billion by 2045 with an increasing focus on AI.

— Reuters, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of increasing

Verb

That would mean accelerating from Indonesia's roughly 5% decade-long growth average while keeping the deficit below its 3% statutory ceiling.

— Celestine Iyer, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
For Kraft Heinz, that’s accelerating a shift already underway in Europe toward shorter ingredient lists, smaller portions, and more high-protein products.

— Sam Birchall, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of accelerating

Verb

Axel Springer is expanding in the Middle East, joining a growing number of Western publishers with an editorial presence in the region — and testing a key pillar of its editorial beliefs.

— Max Tani, semafor.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Mamdani’s signature 2-K program is scheduled to launch this fall with 2,000 students in select school districts, with the goal of expanding citywide over four years.

— Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of expanding

Verb

That mix of showers and storms continue for the rest of the week, ramping up over the weekend, with wet weather chances swelling to 60% Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

— Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
The condition may have caused pain and produced a deformation or swelling on her chest.

— Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of swelling

Verb

Most claims about cornstarch in gardening, such as repelling ants or boosting water retention, lack scientific evidence.

— Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Aug. 2026
The city of Atlanta has secured up to $50 million in philanthropic funding for Mayor Andre Dickens’ legacy project aimed at boosting development in historically underserved neighborhoods.

— Shaddi Abusaid, AJC.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of boosting

Verb

Dana Williams, American High School The highest-performing students are augmenting their brainpower with AI.

— Dana Williams, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
North Korea has also become an industrious manufacturer of war drones, augmenting Moscow’s capacity to produce the unmanned aerial vehicles that have defined the conflict.

— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of augmenting

Browse Nearby Words

escalates

escalating

escalation

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“Escalating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escalating. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of escalating

verb

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