From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishescalatees‧ca‧late /ˈeskəleɪt/ ●○○ verb [intransitive, transitive] 1 INCREASE IN ACTIVITY, FEELINGS ETCif fighting, violence, or a bad situation escalates, or if someone escalates it, it becomes much worseescalate into Her fear was escalating into panic. The fighting on the border is escalating. We do not want to escalate the war.2 INCREASE IN NUMBER OR AMOUNTto become higher or increase, or to make something do this The costs were escalating alarmingly. policies that escalate their own costs escalating crime► see thesaurus at increase —escalation /ˌeskəˈleɪʃən/ noun [countable, uncountable] the escalation of fighting in June a rapid escalation in value→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
escalate• Hip replacements were once a rarity: now they can be carried out easily and the call for them has escalated.• Staff saw costs escalating and sales slumping as the effect of the recession hit the company.• As Amy came of age, discord between her parents escalated, and she was essentially on her own by age 15.• We worked hard to avoid escalating any kinds of conflict.• Land costs are escalating, causing concern among local builders.• The number of attacks on foreign aid workers has escalated dramatically.• Do premiums escalate each year or not because you grow older?• Gas prices are expected to continue to escalate in the short term.• A dispute on the dance floor quickly escalated into violence.• The other side beats people, humiliates them, escalates its campaign to deny them their rights.• The jealousy she felt was escalating out of all control.• Medicare and Medicaid have a plethora of policies that escalate their own costs.• The cost of the new building has escalated to a worrying level.From Longman Business Dictionaryescalatees‧ca‧late /ˈeskəleɪt/ verb [intransitive] if amounts, prices etc escalate, they increaseThey saw costs escalating and sales slumping as the effect of rising oil prices hit the company. —escalation noun [uncountable]The rapid escalation of loan defaults in the area has caused concern.→ See Verb tableOrigin escalate (1900-2000) escalator 