There was a gradual escalation of hostilities.    From Wordnet, Princeton University. 

Higher wages caused an escalation of prices.    From Wordnet, Princeton University. 

Who knows but this sort of escalation is completely crazy.    From Wordnik.com.  [Driving Me Crazy: Driver Etiquette « Colleen Anderson] Reference

The problem with escalation is that the consequences are grave.    From Wordnik.com.  [Organized Sports Teaches Us Nothing | Heretical Ideas Magazine] Reference

The ongoing escalation is the first of its kind during the lull.    From Wordnik.com.  [Archive 2009-01-01] Reference

He clearly believes that escalation is simply the right thing to do.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Urge to Surge - Swampland - TIME.com] Reference

Usually the first sign of escalation is when someone exits their vehicle.    From Wordnik.com.  [Cheeseburger Gothic » I dont normally interrupt traffic to the Geek on the weekend, but this is important.] Reference

If he'd whispered the word escalation prior to Election Day, he'd be out of a job.    From Wordnik.com.  [Bill Curry: Bipartisanship, or Lieberman Unshackled] Reference

Someone suggested the word escalation be used each time this subject was brought up.    From Wordnik.com.  [Think Progress » Media Misleading Americans By Using ‘Surge’ To Describe Bush Policy] Reference

No. Proponents of withdrawal typically begin by showing why escalation is unworkable.    From Wordnik.com.  [Matthew Yglesias » The War] Reference

As Annacone points out, records and best-ever discussions come with a built-in escalation factor.    From Wordnik.com.  [Let the debate begin: Is Federer now the greatest of all time?] Reference

Instead, escalation is imminent because of the positive reinforcement provided by the cheers and attention.    From Wordnik.com.  [Organized Sports Teaches Us Nothing | Heretical Ideas Magazine] Reference

This makes the long-term escalation of terrorism against the United States a certainty, not a matter of conjecture.    From Wordnik.com.  [Power Line] Reference

One way to prevent an escalation is to increase the supply of physicians, which is now taking place at a rapid rate.    From Wordnik.com.  [The Nixon/Kennedy Health Care Act of 2010 - mostlygood’s blog - RedState] Reference

BROWN: He did use, Paul, the word escalation, which -- you don't often hear anybody want to actually come out and say.    From Wordnik.com.  [CNN Transcript Dec 1, 2009] Reference

That phrase is an escalation from the panel's last report in 2001, which said warming was "likely" caused by human activity.    From Wordnik.com.  [Archive 2007-02-01] Reference

Wait till your father gets home and other threats are meaningless to a difficult child and show that escalation is now a real possibility.    From Wordnik.com.  [SciFi, Fantasy & Horror Collectibles - Part 644] Reference

Military escalation is a necessity in a world where any number of despots seeks the total annihilation of other nations and ethnic groups.    From Wordnik.com.  [Mobilizing to Save Civilization: What You and I Can Do] Reference

And it permits "escalation" -- extension of mobilization to a broader territory or a broader set of alliances.    From Wordnik.com.  [Labor mobilization] Reference

Just like I use name escalation for discipline/pleadings.    From Wordnik.com.  [What's In A (Nick)Name?] Reference

Just like I use name escalation for discipline/pleadings.    From Wordnik.com.  [What’s In A (Nick)Name? | Her Bad Mother] Reference

Now he's for escalation, which is 'stay the course' on steroids.    From Wordnik.com.  [Bill Curry: Bipartisanship, or Lieberman Unshackled] Reference

After warning about the seriousness of this escalation, which is definitely.    From Wordnik.com.  [CASTRO CITED ON NICARAGUAN PROD MININGS] Reference

He termed the escalation of the situation, by the Chinese media, as 'irresponsible'.    From Wordnik.com.  [rediff.com] Reference

She promised me a callback in next day or two depending on workload and call escalation volume.    From Wordnik.com.  [Boy Genius Report] Reference

So called escalation specialist who apparently answer to no one, I still have not received my refund.    From Wordnik.com. Reference

The fight to stop the escalation is the first step toward Congressional action to bring the troops home.    From Wordnik.com.  [CPUSA Front Page] Reference

Raising Stakes and RevealsRaising the stakes, also known as escalation, works at both micro and macro level.    From Wordnik.com.  [Cat Rambo] Reference

This makes the long-term escalation of terrorism against the United States a certainty, not a matter of conjecture. ".    From Wordnik.com.  [Gentile Warrior] Reference

Can you imagine the outcome if FDR tried to "sell" the big European theater "escalation" -- aka D-Day -- in the media?.    From Wordnik.com.  [Denver Post: News: Breaking: Local] Reference

In the intensified situation, in the intensified conflict, in the course of escalation, that is not going to be avoidable.    From Wordnik.com.  [PRESS CONFERENCE IN LUSAKA] Reference

Are we really surprised that this allegation concerns those managing the occupation, now that the escalation is a disaster?.    From Wordnik.com.  [Politico Story Saying Reid Called Generals "Incompetent" Is Denied] Reference

There is a thing called escalation of force, and you escalate the level of force needed to gain compliance one step at a time.    From Wordnik.com.  [Latest Articles] Reference

Doing so can close some of the gaps when it comes to privilege escalation, that is increasing my level of access to the exploited system.    From Wordnik.com.  [Digital Bond] Reference