escalatory

/ˈɛskələˌtɔri/
adjective
  1. Tending to increase in intensity, size, or seriousness, especially in a conflict or competition.
    • The two countries avoided escalatory language to prevent a war.
    • The coach warned that escalatory fouls would lead to player suspensions.
    • The company's escalatory pricing strategy drove its competitors to match the increases.
What does "escalatory" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean