as in expansion
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Recent Examples of escalation
Its first season’s defining set piece plunged the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center’s emergency department into the aftermath of a mass shooting, an act of narrative escalation that felt like the writers’ room emptying its reserves.
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Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026
But the pre-dawn New Year’s Day attack on Smoke and the calf represented a new escalation, McGarva said, because the animals were not consumed.
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 6 Jan. 2026
The official described Syria’s position as centered on restoring sovereignty and preventing further escalation.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 6 Jan. 2026
However, Judah Levine, head of research at Freightos, doesn’t expect the broader container shipping market to see much change in terms of volumes or accessibility to the canal, even in the event of military escalation in other areas throughout the Caribbean.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 6 Jan. 2026
Patients, meanwhile, may not realize escalation is even an option.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 6 Jan. 2026
The development marks a major escalation in the monthslong military campaign against the South American nation.
—Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026
The latest mobilization marks an escalation in the immigration enforcement push.
—Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026
But unlike his Sophoclean namesake, Orestes is bewildered by this escalation and refuses.
—Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for escalation
Noun
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The federal government pays 90% of the costs of Idaho’s Medicaid expansion, which as of early 2025 provided access to care for about 90,000 lower-income Idaho residents who earn too much to qualify for standard Medicaid but not enough for private insurance discounts.—
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Washington’s neutrality preserved the republic’s future, enabling economic expansion under the funding system Hamilton designed, territorial growth through the Louisiana Purchase and beyond, and eventual emergence as a great power capable of tipping global balances.—
Noun
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The film was a hit, grossing over $25 million ($145 million adjusted for inflation) on a $5 million budget.—
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Mortgage rates began to climb as inflation spiked coming out of the global pandemic, with the consumer price index hitting a four-decade high in 2022.—
Noun
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The lesion was one of many — too many to count — that have been removed from his Irish-Scottish skin, including growths on his ears, scalp, lips and back.—
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For optimal growth, plant them with their crowns just at the soil line, ensuring they aren't buried.—
Noun
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The leadership development system can be integrated with other interventions, such as succession planning, work with an external coach, recognition, and job enlargement, to name a few.—
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Higher doses can cause hair loss (along with hair growth on the face and other areas many women would probably find undesirable), clitoral enlargement, acne and vocal changes that can be permanent.—
Noun
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The island represents the periphery of tourism’s slow eastward creep.—
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The applause for blocks, leaves and singles gets louder and meatier as England’s target creeps under 100, but Jacks’ dismissal with 97 still required ends any realistic hope of the unlikeliest of away victories.—
Noun
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Nor did the amplification of the meeting’s existence.—
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Community gatherings are built into the design, with emphasis on alignment over amplification and generating real commitment rather than festival-week soundbites.—
Noun
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This produces gases like hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane, which can cause abdominal pain, bloating, distension, and diarrhea.18 Several methods can reduce compounds that cause gastrointestinal discomfort.—
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Botulism Symptoms Symptoms of botulism include general weakness, dizziness, double vision, speech or swallowing difficulties, muscle weakness, abdominal distension and constipation.—
Noun
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When armed federal agents roll into residential neighborhoods under vague authority and maximal posture, the odds of catastrophe rise fast.—
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True Caliber is noting the rise of under-counter appliances, such as their single- or dual-tap beverage dispenser, which can be configured for beer or cold brew.—
Cite this Entry
“Escalation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/escalation. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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