escalated 1 of 2

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
The records sold out in a matter of days, and nerdy online chatter escalated with each repress. Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 6 July 2026 Should it have been escalated all the way to a red card when the referee on the field initially thought there was no foul at all? Becky Sullivan, NPR, 6 July 2026 The exchange escalated quickly, with both benches and bullpens emptying. Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026 And, despite not dating for very long, the pop star and football player's romance escalated quickly following their fateful meet-cute. Alicia Brunker, InStyle, 3 July 2026 Even as the court preserved birthright citizenship, Republicans escalated calls to restrict it through congressional action. Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026 Two 19-year-old men were killed after a dispute between two groups escalated into gunfire at a suburban Detroit shopping mall on the Fourth of July weekend, according to authorities. Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 4 July 2026 The social media buzz escalated, with hundreds of accounts weighing in on the issue, many of which lambasted Sullivan and USA Fencing while praising Turner. Elijah Polance, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2026 Detectives determined that Tovar and the suspect, 20-year-old Eduardo Jaime, of Cedar Hill, were involved in a fight that escalated when Jaime pulled out a handgun and shot Tovar, police said. Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalated
Adjective
  • Research has shown that there is a 42% increased likelihood of tuning in to a full game after watching clips and interviews on TikTok, according to WARC Media.
    Clara Ludmir, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • Hotels are also preparing for increased demand.
    Sarah Horbacewicz, CBS News, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • Revenue at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, rose to $77 million from roughly $50 million in 2024, the filing shows.
    Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • But under the new system, average premiums rose — pushing more people to drop coverage.
    Brian New, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • This openness also accelerated the tech industry in a less obvious way.
    David Siegel, Fortune, 3 July 2026
  • The financial collapse in 2008 accelerated wealth inequality.
    Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 3 July 2026
Adjective
  • The rising ratio of price to income, coupled with elevated interest rates, has put homeownership out of reach for millions of millennial and Gen Z Americans.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Julia Giarmoleo, an EPA spokesperson, said the monitors did not detect elevated metals, but would not provide a copy of the data without a federal records request.
    Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • Her five of fifty-eight party-line rulings swelled this term to thirteen of fifty-six.
    Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 30 June 2026
  • Over the last three years, DpHue has more than doubled its business in Ulta and Amazon, specifically, as the at-home color market has swelled 3 to 5 percent annually.
    Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • Since his appointment to COO in 2018, the firm’s assets under management have roughly doubled, while its client base has expanded across new geographies.
    Rachel Ventresca, Fortune, 5 July 2026
  • Companies that made the largest AI investment expanded entry-level job hiring by 12%.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Adjective
  • Fujimori’s presidency marks a return of her family’s political brand to Peru’s highest office — a movement that has long carried a complicated relationship with the United States.
    Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • The federal government and states have begun investigating pricing strategies that companies report have led to higher profits.
    Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • The administration boosted federal law enforcement for city patrols and then announced a crime emergency, taking control of DC’s police department and ordering an influx of roughly 2,000 National Guard troops.
    Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 3 July 2026
  • While federal pandemic aid has boosted the state budget for years, that funding is running dry.
    Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Escalated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escalated. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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