1
as in increasing
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in accelerating
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
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Recent Examples of escalating
The escalating national strike came as union organizers accused the company of walking back that agreement.
—
Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 24 Dec. 2024
Today, two, three and sometimes even five cameras are used on every shot, yet shooting days are equally as long, pushing a workforce into repetitive and escalating labor that leads to low morale and exhaustion.
—Diane Farr, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Dec. 2024
The New York Mets kept pace in an escalating National League East arms race Sunday, reportedly agreeing to terms with left-hander Sean Manaea on a three-year, $75 million contract.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Airlines burned more fuel to navigate increasingly turbulent skies, and lawsuits over dwindling water supplies in the Midwest revealed escalating tensions over natural resources.
—Dev Patnaik, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
The rapid pace of events and the depletion of Tehran’s military and political resources over the past year, amid escalating direct and indirect military confrontations with Israel, have left the leadership struggling to formulate a coherent response.
—Hamidreza Azizi, Foreign Affairs, 23 Dec. 2024
The escalating military expenditures to sustain Russia's war effort in Ukraine have significantly increased government spending, contributing to inflationary pressures.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
Three in four children in Ukraine are living in constant fear, a mental health crisis that is escalating with the recent surge in Russian missile and drone attacks.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
The sharp drop comes amid escalating regional tensions and an ongoing energy crisis in Iran, exacerbated by severe winter conditions.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024
Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 24 Dec. 2024
Today, two, three and sometimes even five cameras are used on every shot, yet shooting days are equally as long, pushing a workforce into repetitive and escalating labor that leads to low morale and exhaustion.
—Diane Farr, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Dec. 2024
The New York Mets kept pace in an escalating National League East arms race Sunday, reportedly agreeing to terms with left-hander Sean Manaea on a three-year, $75 million contract.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Airlines burned more fuel to navigate increasingly turbulent skies, and lawsuits over dwindling water supplies in the Midwest revealed escalating tensions over natural resources.
—Dev Patnaik, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
The rapid pace of events and the depletion of Tehran’s military and political resources over the past year, amid escalating direct and indirect military confrontations with Israel, have left the leadership struggling to formulate a coherent response.
—Hamidreza Azizi, Foreign Affairs, 23 Dec. 2024
The escalating military expenditures to sustain Russia's war effort in Ukraine have significantly increased government spending, contributing to inflationary pressures.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
Three in four children in Ukraine are living in constant fear, a mental health crisis that is escalating with the recent surge in Russian missile and drone attacks.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
The sharp drop comes amid escalating regional tensions and an ongoing energy crisis in Iran, exacerbated by severe winter conditions.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalating
Verb
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An increasing number of large and mid-size firms are reporting on their sustainability initiatives.—
Aliza Knox,
Forbes,
31 Dec. 2024
-
As president, Biden helped the country past the COVID pandemic, increasing the availability of testing and vaccines.—
Domenico Montanaro,
NPR,
31 Dec. 2024
Verb
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That means that any sudden car movements – stopping, accelerating, or turning – could cause the tires to skid on top of the snow.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA TODAY,
8 Jan. 2025
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With technology accelerating at an ever-increasing speed, educators can register and get up and running with Business Builders free of charge in a just matter of days.—
Alexa MacDonald,
Forbes,
7 Jan. 2025
Verb
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With 2025 fast approaching, the start of a new year offers nonprofit professionals an opportune time to critically assess ongoing and rising trends impacting their communities and constituents.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes,
27 Dec. 2024
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Operators will have to pay $900 per ton of emissions, rising to $1,500 per ton in a few years.—
Christopher Helman,
Forbes,
27 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Thousands of Starbucks baristas are set to walk off the job on Tuesday, expanding the dayslong holiday strike to 300 stores in dozens of cities and towns nationwide, according to the union Starbucks Workers United.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
24 Dec. 2024
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Last month, the Biden administration proposed further expanding access to the drugs for enrollees in Medicare and Medicaid.—
Katy Golvala,
Hartford Courant,
24 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Roles will increasingly revolve around supervising, collaborating with, or augmenting the capabilities of AI agents.—
Ray Ravaglia,
Forbes,
26 Dec. 2024
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This will be augmenting rather than replacing existing forms of urban transportation, however.—
James Morris,
Forbes,
21 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Escalating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escalating. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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