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.
US Central Command also said it was not seeking to escalate the conflict.
From BBC • May 7, 2026
Oil prices whipsawed after Trump’s announcement before moving higher, as traders tried to gauge whether the plan would restart shipping through one of the world’s most vital energy chokepoints—or escalate tensions with Tehran.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026
"If tensions were to escalate further, particularly into open conflict, there's a clear risk of a sharper spike," he wrote.
From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026
The newly inaugurated Lyndon Johnson had sky-high support after John F. Kennedy’s assassination, political cover that arguably helped Johnson muscle civil rights legislation through Congress and escalate the Vietnam War.
From Slate • Apr. 26, 2026
Ironically, the good times in between were what allowed it to drag out and escalate as far as it did.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
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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