Escalate

/ˈɛs.kə.leɪt/ · verb

Meaning

(ambitransitive) To increase (something) in extent or intensity; to intensify or step up..

Definitions by Sense

1. (ambitransitive) To increase (something) in extent or intensity; to intensify or step up.
2. (transitive) In technical support, to transfer a customer, a problem, etc. to the next higher level of authority
3. (uncommon) To climb.
4. (rare) To move by escalator.

Example Sentences

Violence escalated during the election.

The shooting escalated the existing hostility.

A small fight escalated into a big fight.

"Operating the WCML at this intensity makes it challenging to maintain acceptable performance levels, resulting in a frustratingly unreliable service for passengers. Minor disruption can escalate into significant delays because a train running only a few minutes late can miss its slot across a junction, resulting in a snowballing effect across the network."

In another sense, public-health workers have been facing escalating hostility since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.

The tech 1 escalated the caller to a tech 2.

Thus, actually a prior uncounselled misdemeanor conviction may often prove to be a boon to one escalating the ladder of crime to the point where he has been convicted of a major aggravated offense.

They escalated upstairs to the Mall coffee tables.

Synonyms for escalate

Antonyms for escalate

Related Words

Word Forms

• escalates
• escalating
• escalated

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

Practice and Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions