de-escalate

verb

de-es·​ca·​late (ˌ)dē-ˈe-skə-ˌlāt How to pronounce de-escalate (audio)
 nonstandard  -ˈe-skyə-
de-escalated; de-escalating; de-escalates

transitive verb

: limit sense 2b
de-escalate production
tried to de-escalate the tension

intransitive verb

: to decrease in extent, volume, or scope
violence began to de-escalate
de-escalation
(ˌ)dē-ˌe-skə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce de-escalate (audio)
 nonstandard  -ˌe-skyə-
noun
de-escalatory
(ˌ)dē-ˈe-skə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce de-escalate (audio)
 nonstandard  -ˈe-skyə-
adjective

Examples of de-escalate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But family members are angry and feel deputies didn’t do enough to de-escalate the situation. Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 The responding officers immobilize out-of-control suspects, who appear to be going through a mental health crisis or were on drugs, without hurting their targets and de-escalate situations that in the past might have spiraled out of control and ended in deaths. Chris Eberhart, Fox News, 12 Mar. 2024 Grijalva joined 23 other Democrats in a Nov. 15 letter addressed to President Joe Biden calling for a cease-fire and saying the U.S. needs a clearer strategy to de-escalate the conflict. Coleby Phillips, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024 Caywood recommended using drones to reduce the need for pursuits and de-escalate incidents. Calmatters, The Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2024 Not for the first time, Ceylan (who wrote the script with Ebru Ceylan, his wife and longtime creative partner, and Akın Aksu) introduces a plot rife with tension and suspicion only to pivot and de-escalate. Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2024 This action can be neutral or an attempt to de-escalate, such as messaging allies and foes, building trade links and reducing a military presence. The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 23 Feb. 2024 Jones also addressed the possibility of de-escalating the incident at the news conference. Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Feb. 2024 In the process, a policy intended to de-escalate will serve only to appease. Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'de-escalate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of de-escalate was in 1964

Dictionary Entries Near de-escalate

Cite this Entry

“De-escalate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/de-escalate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

de-escalate

verb
de-es·​ca·​late
(ˈ)dē-ˈes-kə-ˌlāt
: to decrease in extent, volume, or scope
de-escalate the war
de-escalation
(ˌ)dē-ˌes-kə-ˈlā-shən
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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