1
as in reduced
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent
first, the mediator tried to de-escalate the tension in the room
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decreased
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
the fighting de-escalated as the peace talks progressed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of de-escalated
Trump’s tactic risks reopening fraught geopolitical wounds with Beijing, following its bruising trade war with Washington that de-escalated late last year.
—
Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Officers de-escalated the scene, and there were no arrests made, police told the outlet.
—Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Officers de-escalated the situation and arrested 22-year-old Antonio Mellon.
—Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
Officers de-escalated the situation and got him safely to the ground, Caylor said.
—Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025
Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Officers de-escalated the scene, and there were no arrests made, police told the outlet.
—Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Officers de-escalated the situation and arrested 22-year-old Antonio Mellon.
—Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
Officers de-escalated the situation and got him safely to the ground, Caylor said.
—Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for de-escalated
Verb
-
Disney reduced its outlay by selling regional sports networks and other assets, but the deal left the company with significant debt just before COVID-19 hit.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
By designing the computing architecture differently, the company reduced that down to 17 in its first-generation R1 vehicles and then to seven in the second generation.—
Robert Ferris,
CNBC,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
After three months of highs, pepper spray use and violent incidents sharply decreased at the end of the year.—
Jason Henry,
Daily News,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Dublin, Pleasanton and Livermore schools are all grappling with multi-million dollar budget deficits in the 2026-27 school year, with the districts citing declining enrollment and decreased state and federal funding as having created budget holes that will likely lead to difficult decisions.—
Kyle Martin,
Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
While the heat on Greenland has subsided for now, the infighting has seriously undercut the ability of the world’s biggest security alliance to deter adversaries, analysts say.—
Lorne Cook,
Fortune,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The pain subsided gradually over a few weeks.—
Patricia Tortolani,
Allure,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The mood around EVs can be attributed to many factors, such as the loss of federal tax credits in 2025; the end of emissions waivers and revenues from carbon credits; and diminished aftermarket values as consumers fear battery degradation and anticipate quickly evolving technologies.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Davie’s successor will inherit an organization wrestling with its place in a media ecosystem dominated by overseas tech giants, as well as battling enemies closer to home, with conservative politicians and media proprietors wishing to see the BBC diminished during charter renewal.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
When a newspaper is felled by careless or malicious owners, millions of people are hurt, in big ways and small ways and ways that are impossible to measure.—
Alexandra Petri,
The Atlantic,
5 Feb. 2026
-
France passes budget after failed no-confidence votes France passed an annual budget, ending a long-running debacle that felled prime ministers, amplified support for the far right, and raised doubts over the country’s long-term finances.—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But the schedule eased a bit with this game against Maryland and a matchup next weekend with an Oregon team that's also near the bottom of the Big Ten.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Feb. 2026
-
Vonn walked gingerly for a moment, then clipped back into her skis and eased her own way down the mountain, visibly in discomfort.—
Zack Pierce,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“De-escalated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/de-escalated. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
