de-escalate
verb
de-es·ca·late
(ˌ)dē-ˈe-skə-ˌlāt 
nonstandard -ˈe-skyə-
de-escalated; de-escalating; de-escalates
: limit sense 2b
de-escalate production
tried to de-escalate the tension
: to decrease in extent, volume, or scope
violence began to de-escalate
Examples of de-escalate in a Sentence
first, the mediator tried to de-escalate the tension in the room
the fighting de-escalated as the peace talks progressed
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump and Xi struck a deal to de-escalate the trade war and these controls are set to be rolled back.
—
Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 31 Oct. 2025
Staffers at a youth mental health treatment facility in southern Colorado were too quick to restrain kids — pinning bodies down, holding arms back — rather than de-escalate problems before patients put themselves or others in danger, a disability rights group found.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 29 Oct. 2025
Officers de-escalated the scene, and there were no arrests made, police told the outlet.
—Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Tensions had simmered over the summer when the two countries agreed to de-escalate.
—Deepa Shivaram, NPR, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for de-escalate
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Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 31 Oct. 2025
Staffers at a youth mental health treatment facility in southern Colorado were too quick to restrain kids — pinning bodies down, holding arms back — rather than de-escalate problems before patients put themselves or others in danger, a disability rights group found.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 29 Oct. 2025
Officers de-escalated the scene, and there were no arrests made, police told the outlet.
—Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Tensions had simmered over the summer when the two countries agreed to de-escalate.
—Deepa Shivaram, NPR, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for de-escalate
Cite this Entry
“De-escalate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/de-escalate. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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