Escalating

Pronunciation: /ˈɛskəˌleɪt/

Escalating (verb)

  1. To make a situation more serious or more difficult, especially when it starts to get out of control.
  2. To increase in strength, speed, or level, so that the change becomes bigger over time.
  3. To move a matter to a higher level of authority or responsibility when it cannot be solved at a lower level.

Examples

  • The conflict escalates when people stop listening.
  • If we ignore it, the issue escalates quickly.