Word
escalate
Meanings
to become more serious, intense, or severe; to make something become worse or bigger
to raise a problem or request to a higher level of authority for a decision or action
Definition
To escalate means to make a situation, problem, or conflict become more serious or intense.
To escalate is to increase the seriousness, intensity, or scale of something, often quickly. It is commonly used for conflicts, tensions, problems, or costs that grow worse over time. In work contexts, it can also mean to pass an issue to a higher level of authority for action.
Examples
- If we respond defensively, the disagreement will escalate before we have a chance to clarify the facts.
- She chose to escalate the complaint to the regional manager after several polite follow-ups went unanswered.
- They worried that a single hostile comment online could escalate into a wider backlash within hours.
- I tried to slow the conversation down, but my colleague kept escalating the tone with sharper accusations.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse "escalate" with "accelerate"—use "escalate" for rising seriousness or intensity, not simply increasing speed.
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More verbs
- analyze To examine something carefully in order to understand it or explain it.
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