escalate

/ˈɛskɐlˌe‍ɪt/

/ˈɛskəˌɫeɪt/

[verb]

to escalate

[VERB]

MAIN VERB

to become or make something become much worse or more intense

synonyms : intensify

step up

antonyms : de-escalate

Examples

1. The manager knew that a little fire is quickly trodden out, so she quickly addressed the issue before it had a chance to escalate.

2. The parent who put off talking to their child about a serious issue found that the situation had escalated beyond their control - they had been too hesitant to act and suffered the consequences of while the grass grows the horse starves.

3. The blockade actually escalated the crisis.

4. A former staffer for New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has escalated her accusation against him of sexual harassment.