escalation

Cultural  

1. An increase in the intensity or geographical scope of a war or diplomatic confrontation. For example, during the Korean War, some Americans urged escalation of the war through bombing of the People's Republic of China.

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Example Sentences

PARIS—French authorities raided the Paris office of Elon Musk’s X and summoned the billionaire for a “voluntary interview,” a major escalation of European regulators’ battles with the social-media platform.

From The Wall Street Journal

The episode reinforced the perception that Tehran sought to manage escalation rather than provoke it.

From BBC

Meanwhile, traders are keeping a close eye on tensions between the U.S. and Iran as any potential escalation could disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, threatening a substantial share of global LNG supply.

From The Wall Street Journal

While markets had appeared unfazed by bubbling geopolitical issues headed into the year, the rapid escalation in trade tensions over Greenland changed that, said Thierry Wizman, global foreign exchange and interest rate strategist at Macquarie.

From BBC

Iranian policymakers have believed the United States would stop short of targeting leaders for fear of escalation but "the Maduro episode complicates that assumption," she wrote.

From Barron's

Related Words

• acceleration