de-escalate

verb

de-es·​ca·​late (ˌ)dē-ˈe-skə-ˌlāt 

 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 

 nonstandard  -ˌe-skyə-

noun

de-escalatory

(ˌ)dē-ˈe-skə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē 

 nonstandard  -ˈe-skyə-

adjective

Synonyms

• abate
• decrease
• dent
• deplete
• diminish
• downscale
• downsize
• drop
• dwindle
• ease
• knock down
• lessen
• lower
• reduce

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

Riri tries to de-escalate the situation, which might have worked if Natalie didn’t start to glitch. —Stacia Brown, Vulture, 26 June 2025

However, with this round of strikes, almost immediately Putin tried to de-escalate and called both Netanyahu and the Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to try to serve as a mediator. —Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 24 June 2025

Subsequent negotiations have not de-escalated the situation. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 24 June 2025

Given that Iran is a larger oil producer than Libya and the conflict appears to be escalating rather than de-escalating, investors and policymakers should be ready for oil prices to continue climbing. —Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for de-escalate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

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