Pronunciation: /ˈɛskəˌleɪt/

Definitions of escalate

noun the act of increasing rapidly in intensity or magnitude

Example Sentences

A1 The argument between the children started to escalate quickly.

A2 The disagreement between the neighbors escalated into a full-blown feud.

B1 The conflict in the region has escalated to the point of military intervention.

B2 The company's financial troubles escalated due to poor management decisions.

C1 The political tension escalated as both sides refused to compromise.

C2 The escalation of violence in the city prompted calls for a state of emergency.

verb to increase rapidly in intensity or magnitude

Example Sentences

A1 The argument between the siblings started to escalate when they couldn't agree on what TV show to watch.

A2 The teacher had to intervene before the situation escalated into a physical fight.

B1 The company decided to escalate the issue to upper management for further review.

B2 The conflict between the two countries has escalated to the point of military intervention.

C1 The escalating tensions in the region have led to concerns about a potential war breaking out.

C2 The escalating violence in the city has prompted calls for increased police presence and community outreach programs.

Examples of escalate in a Sentence

formal The conflict between the two countries continues to escalate, with no sign of resolution in sight.

informal Things are really starting to escalate between those two, it's getting pretty intense.

slang The drama is escalating real quick, it's about to go down.

figurative As tensions rise, the situation is beginning to escalate like a wildfire spreading out of control.

Grammatical Forms of escalate

past tense

escalated

plural

escalates

comparative

more escalated

superlative

most escalated

present tense

escalate

future tense

will escalate

perfect tense

has escalated

continuous tense

is escalating

singular

escalate

positive degree

escalate

infinitive

to escalate

gerund

escalating

participle

escalating

Origin and Evolution of escalate

First Known Use: 1922 year
Language of Origin: Latin
Story behind the word: The word 'escalate' originated from the Latin word 'scala' meaning ladder or steps.
Evolution of the word: Originally used in a literal sense to describe the act of climbing steps or a ladder, 'escalate' evolved to also signify the act of increasing or intensifying something gradually over time.