Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

escalated

  • past participle
    of escalate.
    escalate
    verb (used with or without object)
    to increase in intensity, magnitude, etc..
  • past tense form
    of escalate.
    escalate
    verb (used with or without object)
    to increase in intensity, magnitude, etc..

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.

See Examples For:

At his Sept. 3 arraignment, Lawantara’s attorney Debra White said that, after a verbal altercation escalated, Voskanyan reached for her client’s neck, according to reporting from the California Post.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026

Even though both the international oil benchmark and the U.S. benchmark have significantly jumped over the past two weeks as tensions in the Middle East have escalated, JPMorgan sees stocks weathering the storm.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 14, 2026

At least 46,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since fighting escalated last week, according to the United Nations.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

Brent crude futures jumped 6.3% to $107.63 a barrel after tensions escalated in the Middle East, pressuring bond markets.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

This was no longer just a threat; things had escalated to a horrifying new level.

From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry