Meaning & use
escalate
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Meanings
verbintransitive
To become much greater, stronger or more serious, usually quickly and in steps.
Grammar: No object: the dispute escalated. Often followed by into or from ... to.
Patterns
- escalate into something
- escalate from something to something
The quarrel escalated into a shouting match in the car park.
Prices have escalated sharply since the new tax came in.
Tension escalated as both sides refused to compromise.
verbtransitive
To make something grow in size, intensity or seriousness.
Grammar: Takes an object: the threat escalated the conflict.
Patterns
- escalate something
Harsh words from the minister only escalated the crisis.
The two firms escalated their price war over the summer.
verbtransitivebusiness
To pass a problem or complaint up to a person with more authority so it can be dealt with.
Grammar: Takes an object and often to: escalate the issue to a manager.
Patterns
- escalate something to someone
If the support agent cannot fix the fault, she will escalate it to a senior engineer.
I escalated my complaint to the head office after three weeks of silence.
Word forms
| third person singular | escalates |
|---|---|
| past tense | escalated |
| past participle | escalated |
| -ing form | escalating |
Common combinations
- escalate quickly
- The protest escalated quickly after the police arrived.
- escalate into violence
- The argument could easily escalate into violence.
- escalate tensions
- The speech did little but escalate tensions between the two countries.
- escalate a complaint
- You can escalate a complaint if the first reply is not satisfactory.
- escalating costs
- Escalating costs forced the council to cancel the bridge project.
Synonyms and how they differ
- intensify
- Intensify only describes becoming stronger or more severe, while escalate also suggests a step-by-step rise that may get out of control.
- worsen
- Worsen simply means to get worse, but escalate suggests a growing, often accelerating process involving more people or higher stakes.
- soar
- Soar is used mainly for numbers such as prices or temperatures rising fast, whereas escalate suits conflicts and problems as well.
- heighten
- Heighten is more formal and usually applies to feelings or awareness, and it is rarely used for conflicts that spread.
Opposites
Word family
- escalation noun
- a rapid or stepwise increase
- de-escalate verb
- to reduce the intensity of a conflict
- escalator noun
- a moving staircase
- escalating adjective
- growing steadily in size or seriousness
Commonly confused: escalate or elevate?
escalate vs elevate
Elevate means to lift something to a higher position or level, but it does not carry the idea of a worsening or spreading problem.
Practice
Which sentence uses escalate in the sense of passing a problem to someone with more authority?
Choose one answer.
Only the second sentence moves a matter up to a person in charge. The border and rent sentences describe things growing, and the staircase sentence misuses the verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “escalate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.