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.
Both are classic ways in which crises slip out of control and wars escalate.
From BBC • May 5, 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
China’s role in that mediation remains unclear, other than Beijing advising Iran not to escalate.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026
“And you were trying to hurt their feelings. That’s the problem with stuff like this—everyone keeps trying to top one another, and then things escalate out of control.”
From "Auggie & Me" by R. J. Palacio
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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