Escalate

To escalate means to increase rapidly or intensify, often referring to situations, conflicts, or processes becoming more severe, serious, or widespread. It implies a gradual but noticeable progression to a higher level of magnitude, impact, or intensity. This can involve an increase in the scale of actions, the severity of consequences, or the level of involvement from those affected. The term is frequently used to describe a situation moving from a manageable state to a critical or uncontrollable one.

Escalate meaning with examples

• The initial disagreement between the colleagues quickly escalated into a heated argument, attracting the attention of nearby coworkers and disrupting the flow of work in the office environment.
• Due to the lack of response to initial warnings, the company decided to escalate the matter to the legal department, signaling a more serious approach to resolving the issue and achieving a solution.
• The rumors of a potential merger began to escalate, with media outlets running stories and analysts weighing in on the implications, which led to wild speculation and market volatility.
• The cost of the project began to escalate rapidly due to unforeseen delays, and the resulting budget overruns required the project managers to make difficult decisions about resource allocation.