escalate

verb

ˈe-skə-ˌlāt How to pronounce escalate (audio)
Definition of escalatenext
1
as in to increase
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 to accelerate
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 escalate As a new international bridge opens between Detroit and Canada amid escalating trade tensions, USA TODAY National Correspondent Trevor Hughes embedded with Canadian authorities to see what life is really like on our northern border. — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 31 July 2026 Italy temporarily restored border controls on travelers arriving from Spain Friday as the mass migrant crossing into Ceuta, Spain, escalated from a Spanish emergency into a wider test of Europe’s passport-free travel system. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2026 Irina’s hunger and possessiveness both escalate, leading to the (offscreen) murders of anyone who gets in the way — of her parenting, or a meal. — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 30 July 2026 Bazilfoto | Istock | Getty Images Oil prices fell Thursday, despite escalating fighting in the Middle East and widening attacks on regional energy infrastructure. — Spencer Kimball,joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for escalate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalate
  1. increase
  2. accelerate
  3. rise
  4. expand
  5. swell
  6. augment
  7. boost
  8. raise
Verb
  • The airport says arrivals to Denver are also delayed an average of 15 minutes and increasing due to the weather.
    — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Earlier this year, Republicans had hoped to campaign on falling rates and a bipartisan bill to increase home construction to help defend their House and Senate majorities.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of increase
Verb
  • While PennDOT already has created over 30 wildlife crossings, the establishment of the new cohesive group of state agency stakeholders is likely to accelerate building the safe animal passageways and reverse the high collision rate with motorists.
    — Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Campbell said some people use BPC-157 in combination with another peptide known as TB-500 to accelerate healing.
    — Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
Definition of accelerate
Verb
  • As tensions rise with the Sacramento County Office of Education, Sacramento City Unified is pressing ahead with a new fiscal sustainability plan aimed at avoiding insolvency and preserving local control.
    — Chaewon Chung July 30, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026
  • Ajanel is now a rising junior at Dalton State College pursuing a career in nursing.
    — Nila Roper, AJC.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of rise
Verb
  • In the mid-1960s, the festival expanded from an intimate get-together among church members to a cultural exchange for the greater Sacramento community.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • San Gregorio State Beach is now roughly twice its size after expanding into the formerly private ranch, San Gregorio Ranch.
    — Sooji Nam, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of expand
Verb
  • As passengers chanted the incantation together, white light flashed through the carriage, and music swelled from the speakers.
    — Emily Tarinelli, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
  • Wasp activity starts to ramp up in late summer and fall as colony sizes swell.
    — Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 29 July 2026
Definition of swell
Verb
  • The better question is whether a decision should be automated, augmented or left to human judgment.
    — Pooya Tabesh, The Conversation, 30 July 2026
  • Its recruit and redeploy stages require roles decomposed into explicit tasks—making what AI can augment answerable task by task.
    — Manu Khetan, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of augment
Verb
  • In May 2025, TSA and ICE agreed to boost information sharing between the two agencies, according to a memo disclosed this week by the group American Oversight.
    — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • The debate is a useful distraction, Lamar said, from real conversations over how to boost public safety.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
Definition of boost
Verb
  • The Athletic put the points raised in this article to United.
    — Andy Mitten, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • State workers used the forum to raise $9,000 in under three weeks for an Interstate 80 billboard protesting the RTO order.
    — Ruyuan Li. Summary produced by AI assistance, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of raise

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escalate
escalated
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Cite this Entry

“Escalate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escalate. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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