es·ca·la·tor
ˈe-skə-ˌlā-tər 
nonstandard
-skyə-
1
a
: a power-driven set of stairs arranged like an endless belt that ascend or descend continuously
b
: an upward course suggestive of an escalator
a never-stopping escalator of economic progress—
D. W. Brogan
D. W. Brogan2
: an escalator clause or provision
: providing for a periodic proportional upward or downward adjustment (as of prices or wages)
an escalator arrangement tying the base pay … to living costs—New York Times
New York TimesExamples of escalator in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebBrenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 13 Apr. 2024
Work on the escalators that go upstairs from the ticketing area will begin soon and take a few months to complete.
—James A. Jones Jr., Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2024
The screen goes dark and suddenly Nye is back on his escalator, descending away from the fiery Transformer globe, safe from these outlandish scenarios.
—The Arizona Republic, 20 Mar. 2024
That figure represents a combination of salary, backend compensation, box-office escalators and a bonus for his twin Academy Awards.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 12 Mar. 2024
Included in the $100 million terminal project is a second set of down escalators to the baggage claim area.
—James A. Jones Jr., Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2024
Little Pearl’s previous dining space on the north side of the Main + Marketplace escalator is available for lease.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 26 Mar. 2024
The crowd takes the escalators up to the Governors Ball, the Academy’s on-site after-party.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
In the team’s letter to legislators that legislator Manny Abarca posted on X, formerly Twitter after the announcement, the Chiefs promised to contribute at least $2 million a year into a community benefits fund with an escalator that would increase that amount after year 11.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024
Noun
The footage, reported by Australia's 9News and The Sydney Morning Herald, appears to show a man armed with a knife walking up an escalator at the shopping center.
—Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 13 Apr. 2024
Work on the escalators that go upstairs from the ticketing area will begin soon and take a few months to complete.
—James A. Jones Jr., Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2024
The screen goes dark and suddenly Nye is back on his escalator, descending away from the fiery Transformer globe, safe from these outlandish scenarios.
—The Arizona Republic, 20 Mar. 2024
That figure represents a combination of salary, backend compensation, box-office escalators and a bonus for his twin Academy Awards.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 12 Mar. 2024
Included in the $100 million terminal project is a second set of down escalators to the baggage claim area.
—James A. Jones Jr., Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2024
Little Pearl’s previous dining space on the north side of the Main + Marketplace escalator is available for lease.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 26 Mar. 2024
The crowd takes the escalators up to the Governors Ball, the Academy’s on-site after-party.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
In the team’s letter to legislators that legislator Manny Abarca posted on X, formerly Twitter after the announcement, the Chiefs promised to contribute at least $2 million a year into a community benefits fund with an escalator that would increase that amount after year 11.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'escalator.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to escalator
Dictionary Entries Near escalator
Cite this Entry
“Escalator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/escalator. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share