escalated 1 of 2

Definition of escalatednext
as in increased
being at a higher level than average for a time there was an escalated interest in the historical figure following the release of the blockbuster biography

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

escalated

2 of 2

verb

past tense of escalate
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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of escalated
Verb
Mali, alongside neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso, has long been battling armed groups affiliated with al Qaeda and the Islamic State group, a fight that has escalated over the past decade. CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026 Mali, alongside neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso, has long been battling armed groups affiliated with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, a fight that has escalated over the past decade. ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026 The Cass County Emergency Services Board filed a support ticket with Everbridge, which has been escalated to a priority event, according to Beauchamp. Kansas City Star, 25 Apr. 2026 The violence escalated Thursday night when a woman in her 70s was strangled during a home invasion in the Hollywood Hills, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026 Tensions have also escalated in recent days in the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil shipments. Npr Staff, NPR, 24 Apr. 2026 Bahrain and Jeddah were originally scheduled for April, but both races were removed from the calendar as the conflict escalated. Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 23 Apr. 2026 The situation escalated when a guard punched a detainee. Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026 Officers responded to a 911 call and were informed of a verbal dispute that escalated into a physical altercation, the department told Footwear News. Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalated
Adjective
  • These warnings are issued by the National Weather Service when there are ripe conditions for increased risk of wildfires—such conditions include low humidity, strong winds and low moisture on the ground.
    Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2026
  • To help meet increased demand, Kansas City amended its short-term rental ordinance.
    Taylor Haught, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • His numbers rose from 246 total yards in his first three seasons to 717 in his senior campaign alone.
    Alec Lewis, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Emerging-market equities rose to a record high, buoyed by optimism over the artificial intelligence trade and a report that Iran offered a new proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
    Marcus Wong, Bloomberg, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • And those efforts have only accelerated, especially since the debut of generative AI chatbots in 2022 and recent advances in agentic AI.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026
  • The three ports also have accelerated their alternative fuels bunkering capabilities over the past three years.
    Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Yet the club has also flourished amid elevated stakes.
    Dennis Lin, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
  • The elevated bamboo design looks sleek in any space, whether used as a writing desk, makeup vanity, or side table, and has earned numerous five-star ratings for its sturdiness, quality, and ease of assembly.
    Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Now, more than 40 years — and a huge bull market — later, those accounts have swelled into significant dollars.
    Terry Savage, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Spring rains and winter snowmelt have swelled rivers and lakes, forcing torrents of water through Cheboygan County communities on its way to Lake Huron.
    Sarah Brumfield, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • As information and knowledge expanded, staying current required a significant investment of their time.
    Bruce Broussard, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
  • After a test launch in Jacksonville and Orlando, Winn-Dixie expanded its same-day Amazon delivery partnership to Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.
    Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • His elite pass protection and calm feet mean he can be trusted immediately to keep the quarterback clean on passing downs, while also providing a high-effort presence on special teams.
    Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Cameras now deploy ever higher frame rates, as seen in the uncanny sheen of blockbusters by James Cameron and Peter Jackson, and films are shot, shown, and restored on ever higher resolutions (4K, 8K, and beyond).
    Dennis Lim, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • But he was boosted by an interval workout in the days leading up to Drake.
    Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026
  • The bank's analyst boosted Citi's price target on Intel to $95 from $48.
    Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Escalated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escalated. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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