Escalated — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb adjective /ˈe-skə-ˌlāt/ (verb) /(ˌ)dē-ˈe-skə-ˌlāt/ (verb) /(ˌ)rē-ˈe-skə-ˌlāt/ (verb) es·ca·late

Meaning & Definition of Escalated

Escalated (verb)

  1. to increase in extent, volume, number, amount, intensity, or scope
  2. expand
  3. limit
  4. to decrease in extent, volume, or scope
  5. to escalate or become escalated again, to increase again in extent, volume, number, amount, intensity, or scope

Escalated (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. being at a higher level than average

    "for a time there was an escalated interest in the historical figure following the release of the blockbuster biography"

    similar: elevated, heightened, high, increased, jacked (up), raised, up
    related: extreme, full, maximized, maximum, peaked, sky-high, utmost, inflated, over, overfilled, overflowing, overfull, overlarge, overloaded, oversize
    opposite: down, low
    near: decreased, depressed, dropped, knockdown (chiefly British), receded, under

Escalated (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number

    "as the war between the two countries escalated, it threatened to become a global conflict"

    similar: accelerated, accumulated, appreciated, ballooned, boomed, built up, burgeoned, climbed, enlarged, expanded, gained, increased, mounted, multiplied, mushroomed, proliferated, rolled up, rose, snowballed, spread, swelled, waxed
    related: jumped, rocketed, skyrocketed, surged, heightened, intensified, redoubled, blew up, bulked, distended, inflated, puffed (up), crescendoed, crested, peaked
    opposite: contracted, decreased, diminished, dwindled, lessened, receded, waned

  2. to make greater in size, amount, or number

    "the president promised to escalate the government's program to combat the dreaded disease"

    similar: accelerated, added (to), aggrandized, amplified, augmented, boosted, built up, compounded, enlarged, expanded, extended, hyped, increased, multiplied, pumped up, raised, stoked, supersized, swelled, upped
    related: boomed, jumped, skyrocketed, spiked, bumped (up), ratcheted (up), blew up, dilated, distended, inflated, drew out, elongated, fleshed (out), lengthened, prolonged, protracted, stretched, developed, enhanced, heightened, intensified, magnified, complemented, supplemented, beefed (up), reinforced, strengthened, maximized, accumulated, amassed, collected, followed up, parlayed
    opposite: abated, decreased, de-escalated, diminished, downsized, dwindled, lessened, lowered, minified, reduced, subtracted (from)
    near: abbreviated, abridged, curtailed, shortened, compressed, condensed, constricted, contracted, cut back, retrenched

Related Entry: Escalate (verb)

Escalate is a different word from Escalated. The synonyms below are for escalate, not for escalated.

  1. to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number

    "as the war between the two countries escalated, it threatened to become a global conflict"

    similar: accelerate, accumulate, appreciate, balloon, boom, build up, burgeon, climb, enlarge, expand, gain, increase, mount, multiply, mushroom, proliferate, rise, roll up, snowball, spread, swell, wax
    related: jump, rocket, skyrocket, surge, heighten, intensify, redouble, blow up, bulk, distend, inflate, puff (up), crescendo, crest, peak
    opposite: contract, decrease, diminish, dwindle, lessen, recede, wane

  2. to make greater in size, amount, or number

    "the president promised to escalate the government's program to combat the dreaded disease"

    similar: accelerate, add (to), aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, build up, compound, enlarge, expand, extend, hype, increase, multiply, pump up, raise, stoke, supersize, swell, up
    related: boom, jump, skyrocket, spike, bump (up), ratchet (up), blow up, dilate, distend, inflate, draw out, elongate, flesh (out), lengthen, prolong, protract, stretch, develop, enhance, heighten, intensify, magnify, complement, supplement, beef (up), reinforce, strengthen, maximize, accumulate, amass, collect, follow up, parlay
    opposite: abate, decrease, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, lessen, lower, minify, reduce, subtract (from)
    near: abbreviate, abridge, curtail, shorten, compress, condense, constrict, contract, cut back, retrench

Related Entry: De-escalated (verb)

De-escalated is a different word from Escalated. The synonyms below are for de-escalated, not for escalated.

  1. to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent

    "first, the mediator tried to de-escalate the tension in the room"

    similar: abated, decreased, dented, depleted, diminished, downscaled, downsized, dropped, dwindled, eased, knocked down, lessened, lowered, reduced
    related: compressed, condensed, constricted, contracted, abbreviated, abridged, clipped, cropped, curtailed, cut, cut back, cut down, docked, nicked, pared, pruned, retrenched, shortened, slashed, trimmed, truncated, whittled, deflated, shrank, minimized, moderated, modified, modulated, qualified
    opposite: aggrandized, amplified, augmented, boosted, enlarged, escalated, expanded, increased, raised
    near: blew up, dilated, distended, inflated, swelled, elongated, extended, lengthened, prolonged, protracted, added (to), complemented, supplemented, enhanced, heightened, intensified, redoubled

  2. to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually

    "the fighting de-escalated as the peace talks progressed"

    similar: abated, declined, decreased, died (away or down or out), diminished, drained (away), dropped (off), dwindled, eased, ebbed, fell, fell away, lessened, let up, lowered, moderated, palled, phased down, ratcheted (down), receded, relented, remitted, shrank, subsided, tapered, tapered off, waned
    related: compressed, condensed, constricted, contracted, evaporated, faded (away), frittered (away), gave out, melted (away), petered (out), tailed (off), vanished, slackened, slowed (down), alleviated, relaxed, flagged, sank, weakened, caved (in), collapsed, deflated
    opposite: accumulated, ballooned, built, burgeoned, enlarged, escalated, expanded, grew, increased, intensified, mounted, mushroomed, picked up, rose, snowballed, soared, swelled, waxed
    near: appeared, emerged, showed up, blew up, distended, elongated, lengthened

Related Entry: De-escalate (verb)

De-escalate is a different word from Escalated. The synonyms below are for de-escalate, not for escalated.

  1. to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent

    "first, the mediator tried to de-escalate the tension in the room"

    similar: abate, decrease, dent, deplete, diminish, downscale, downsize, drop, dwindle, ease, knock down, lessen, lower, reduce
    related: compress, condense, constrict, contract, abbreviate, abridge, clip, crop, curtail, cut, cut back, cut down, dock, nick, pare, prune, retrench, shorten, slash, trim, truncate, whittle, deflate, shrink, minimize, moderate, modify, modulate, qualify
    opposite: aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, enlarge, escalate, expand, increase, raise
    near: blow up, dilate, distend, inflate, swell, elongate, extend, lengthen, prolong, protract, add (to), complement, supplement, enhance, heighten, intensify, redouble

  2. to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually

    "the fighting de-escalated as the peace talks progressed"

    similar: abate, decline, decrease, die (away or down or out), diminish, drain (away), drop (off), dwindle, ease, ebb, fall, fall away, lessen, let up, lower, moderate, pall, phase down, ratchet (down), recede, relent, remit, shrink, subside, taper, taper off, wane
    related: compress, condense, constrict, contract, evaporate, fade (away), fritter (away), give out, melt (away), peter (out), tail (off), vanish, slacken, slow (down), alleviate, relax, flag, sink, weaken, cave (in), collapse, deflate
    opposite: accumulate, balloon, build, burgeon, enlarge, escalate, expand, grow, increase, intensify, mount, mushroom, pick up, rise, snowball, soar, swell, wax
    near: appear, emerge, show up, blow up, distend, elongate, lengthen

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Escalated

The most common words with a similar meaning to Escalated:

elevated, heightened, high, increased, jacked (up), raised, up, accelerated, accumulated, appreciated, ballooned, boomed, built up, burgeoned, climbed, enlarged, expanded, gained, mounted, multiplied, mushroomed, proliferated, rolled up, rose, snowballed, spread, swelled, waxed, added (to), aggrandized, amplified, augmented, boosted, compounded, extended, hyped, pumped up, stoked, supersized, upped

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Escalated

Words with the opposite meaning of Escalated:

down, low, contracted, decreased, diminished, dwindled, lessened, receded, waned, abated, de-escalated, downsized, lowered, minified, reduced, subtracted (from)

Related Words for Escalated

extreme, full, maximized, maximum, peaked, sky-high, utmost, inflated, over, overfilled, overflowing, overfull, overlarge, overloaded, oversize, jumped, rocketed, skyrocketed, surged, intensified, redoubled, blew up, bulked, distended, puffed (up), crescendoed, crested, spiked, bumped (up), ratcheted (up)

Near Antonyms of Escalated

depressed, dropped, knockdown, under, abbreviated, abridged, curtailed, shortened, compressed, condensed, constricted, cut back, retrenched

Word Forms of Escalated

Inflections: escalating, de-escalated, de-escalating, de-escalates, reescalated, re-escalated, reescalating, re-escalating

Derived words: escalation (noun), escalatory (adjective), de-escalation (noun), de-escalatory (adjective), reescalation (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Escalated

back-formation from escalator

First known use: 1944i

Frequently Asked Questions about Escalated

What does "Escalated" mean?

"Escalated" means to increase in extent, volume, number, amount, intensity, or scope. As an a verb and an adjective, it is defined as: to increase in extent, volume, number, amount, intensity, or scope. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Escalated"?

Other words for "Escalated" include elevated, heightened, high, increased, jacked (up), raised, up and accelerated. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Escalated" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Escalated"?

There are 90 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Escalated". Common alternatives include elevated, heightened, high, increased, jacked (up), raised, up, accelerated, accumulated and appreciated.

What is the opposite of "Escalated"?

Antonyms of "Escalated" include down, low, contracted, decreased, diminished, dwindled, lessened and receded. Near antonyms include depressed, dropped, knockdown and under.

How do you use "Escalated" in a sentence?

Examples of "Escalated" in a sentence: "for a time there was an escalated interest in the historical figure following the release of the blockbuster biography"; "as the war between the two countries escalated, it threatened to become a global conflict"; "the president promised to escalate the government's program to combat the dreaded disease".

Is "Escalated" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Escalated" can be used as a verb and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Escalated"?

"Escalated" is pronounced /ˈe-skə-ˌlāt/ as a verb, /(ˌ)dē-ˈe-skə-ˌlāt/ as a verb and /(ˌ)rē-ˈe-skə-ˌlāt/ as a verb and divided into syllables as es·ca·late.

What is the origin of the word "Escalated"?

"Escalated" comes from back-formation from escalator. First known use: 1944i.