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 That escalation has scuttled prospects of peace talks between Washington and Tehran. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026 For now, Toossi said, Iran’s response will become a combination of economic adaptation and escalation deterrence. — Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026 Mexico’s new strategy represents an escalation from the country’s traditional policy of filing protests through diplomatic channels while assisting families with legal advice, paperwork and shipping remains back to Mexico. — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026 Tehran vowed to retaliate and is concurrently rebuilding its military and, according to reports, may be planning on expanding the war, including escalation into Europe. — Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 Monday’s escalation follows a wave of new tariffs that hit Canada early Saturday after weekslong negotiations between Washington and Ottawa broke down. — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 24 Aug. 2026 In another sign of escalation, Google will release two versions of its TPUs simultaneously this year for the first time. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 24 Aug. 2026 Threats of stronger countermeasures and further escalation only ramped up on Monday, raising the possibility that additional products or sectors would come into the crosshairs of the trade war. — ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026 In this mode, Proton Mail adds challenges for any suspicious logins, provides more detail in security logs, and offers 24/7 escalation of sketchy logins to human analysts. — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalation

Noun

Bhatia said investors are now seeing opportunities for revenue growth at Salesforce increasing from the low double digits, along with margin expansion.

— Jordan Novet, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Trump remains data-center booster amid bipartisan opposition The rapid expansion of data centers, which house networks and services for digital information and services, is proving to be the rare issue that cuts through party lines.

— Joey Garrison, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of expansion

Noun

Prospects of higher rates are also denting investors sentiment, after Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh signaled that a possible rate hike was on the table, warning that inflation was still above target.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
In his inaugural Jackson Hole speech as chairman, Warsh warned that persistent inflation may necessitate further monetary tightening.

— William Pesek, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of inflation

Noun

His core economic platform focuses on reshaping Britain's growth model through regional devolution, skills system reforms, and regional re-industrialization.

— , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
That approach has led him to bet on sectors from defense to life sciences, and trends like the growth of India’s middle class.

— Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 28 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

In the ad, Hansen reportedly speaks directly to the audience and tells them to visit TruBlu, his streaming service featuring true-crime shows about scams and creeps.

— Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026
Deep underground salt behaves like a slow-moving plastic under the weight of the earth (salt creep).

— Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of creep

Noun

Hearing technology has to deliver speech amplification and clarity.

— Bill Schiffmiller, Forbes.com, 21 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

The gross margin outlook was a bit lower than expected, with Kress attributing the crunch to the relentless rise in memory prices, both for the remainder of this fiscal year and for fiscal 2028.

— Zev Fima, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Ariana Madix has had a meteoric rise as a host — one that landed her an Emmy nomination this year.

— William Earl, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of rise

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

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Synonyms of escalation

noun

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