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
Police began to de-escalate the situation ever since the suspect answered the door around noon Sunday, armed with a sword and acting aggressively toward officers.
—
Paula Wethington, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026
In Europe, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged all parties to de-escalate tensions and act responsibly, stressing that international law and the UN Charter must be respected.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 3 Jan. 2026
The video shows a woman standing on the ledge of the bridge with her arms folded as officers speak with her in an effort to de-escalate the situation.
—Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 29 Dec. 2025
Flight attendants are trained to de-escalate potentially explosive situations.
—Thomas Black, Twin Cities, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for de-escalate
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Paula Wethington, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026
In Europe, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged all parties to de-escalate tensions and act responsibly, stressing that international law and the UN Charter must be respected.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 3 Jan. 2026
The video shows a woman standing on the ledge of the bridge with her arms folded as officers speak with her in an effort to de-escalate the situation.
—Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 29 Dec. 2025
Flight attendants are trained to de-escalate potentially explosive situations.
—Thomas Black, Twin Cities, 21 Dec. 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 8 Jan. 2026.
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