escalation
CulturalExplanation
An escalation is an increase or growth. When there's an escalation in tension between two countries, it means that things have become much more strained between them. An escalation in Christmas tree prices means that your holiday decor will be more expensive this year, and an escalation of violence in a particular country will probably keep you from traveling there until things calm down. When something gets bigger or more intense, there's an escalation. The word comes from the verb escalate, which in turn is a back-formation from escalator. The Latin root of all three words is scala, or "ladder."
Vocabulary lists containing escalation
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for August 7–August 13, 2021
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Riyadh on Thursday accused Iran of encouraging the escalation, saying it continued to arm and train the group.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
“With Riyadh promising retaliation and Washington weighing direct intervention, further airstrikes risk fueling another cycle of escalation rather than bringing the attacks to an end,” she said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 12, 2026
South Korea has said it will recall its ambassador to Ukraine, the latest escalation in a diplomatic spat between both countries.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
Wednesday’s filing marks the latest escalation in the legal fight over conditions at the facility and the government’s lack of compliance with the court’s directives.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
It was just an escalation of her madness.
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
