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
Bernard said the role of community organizations is to help de-escalate tensions and provide stability.
—
Brady Halbleib, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Galban and Morffi had tried to de-escalate the conflict but instead were targeted by the guards, the declaration states.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026
The man refused to comply with at least 20 orders by police to drop the knife, Tisch said, adding police also attempted to de-escalate and offer him help.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026
If the war de-escalates meaningfully, markets can begin rotating away from pure geopolitical hedges and back toward businesses with durable growth just as Alphabet’s transformation into an AI-first and services platform continues to accelerate.
—Tony Zhang, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for de-escalate
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Brady Halbleib, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026
Galban and Morffi had tried to de-escalate the conflict but instead were targeted by the guards, the declaration states.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026
The man refused to comply with at least 20 orders by police to drop the knife, Tisch said, adding police also attempted to de-escalate and offer him help.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026
If the war de-escalates meaningfully, markets can begin rotating away from pure geopolitical hedges and back toward businesses with durable growth just as Alphabet’s transformation into an AI-first and services platform continues to accelerate.
—Tony Zhang, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026
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 16 Apr. 2026.
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