escalate
verb
es·ca·late
ˈe-skə-ˌlāt 
nonstandard
-skyə-
escalated; escalating
: to increase in extent, volume, number, amount, intensity, or scope
a little war threatens to escalate into a huge ugly one—
Arnold Abrams
Arnold AbramsExamples 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
If the tariffs hold, Apple is widely expected to eventually raise the prices on iPhones and other popular products because the Silicon Valley’s supply chain is so heavily concentrated in China, India and other overseas markets caught in the crossfire of the escalating trade war.
—Time, 11 Apr. 2025
The situation has escalated quickly this week.
—Luke Smith, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
While the administration simultaneously escalated duties on Chinese goods to 125%, markets took the broader delay as a sign that Washington may soften its stance — at least temporarily — on the more disruptive elements of its trade agenda.
—Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2025
Key Asian indices recorded notable recoveries on Thursday -- marking a reprieve for most after a week of turbulence and selloffs driven by fears of escalating trade wars and recessions.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for escalate
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.
Time, 11 Apr. 2025
The situation has escalated quickly this week.
—Luke Smith, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
While the administration simultaneously escalated duties on Chinese goods to 125%, markets took the broader delay as a sign that Washington may soften its stance — at least temporarily — on the more disruptive elements of its trade agenda.
—Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2025
Key Asian indices recorded notable recoveries on Thursday -- marking a reprieve for most after a week of turbulence and selloffs driven by fears of escalating trade wars and recessions.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for escalate
Cite this Entry
“Escalate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/escalate. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
escalate
verb
es·ca·late
ˈes-kə-ˌlāt
escalated; escalating
: to increase in extent, volume, or scope : expand
escalate prices
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share