escalate
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Hitting Kuwait signaled a willingness to escalate but without hitting more sensitive sites in the Gulf’s more powerful states that have previously struck back against Iran.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
“Failures involving storage tanks or containment systems can escalate into large-scale public safety emergencies within minutes,” Filippo Marchino, founder and managing partner of the X-Law Group, said in a statement.
From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026
After Larissa is missing overnight without her medication, officers escalate the search to “high risk”.
From BBC • May 27, 2026
Last weekend, the United Arab Emirates said a drone strike hit an electricity generator at its nuclear power station, a sign of how any further fighting could escalate.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
The terrible sounds he’d heard escalate for the last hour took on a high-pitched, mechanical squeal, like a robotic death yell.
From "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner
Vocabulary lists containing escalate
This Week in Words: September 25 - October 1, 2017
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This Week in Words: October 22 - 27, 2017
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Higher Learning: Synonyms For "Up"
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