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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STAAR U.S. History 4
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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.
"At the beginning of this escalation, we asked them to meet in Muscat, Oman and they refused," he added.
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
The UN said on Wednesday more than 200,000 people have been displaced by the escalation.
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
He acknowledged that this represented an escalation, but given Hamilton’s arrogant evasiveness, “more will now be required than would have been asked at first.”
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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