de-escalated

verb

past tense of de-escalate
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

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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 The conflict was de-escalated by a 2019 peace deal between the government and 14 armed groups, but six of the groups later withdrew from the agreement. — ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026 Geopolitical developments have dominated weekend newsflow, with a flare-up of tensions in Iran being quickly de-escalated. — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 29 June 2026 Several police departments in the region responded to help and de-escalated the situation. — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 17 May 2026 Though surprised, the officer seated at the wheel de-escalated the situation and helped the young man find his family, the father wrote to Movius. — Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for de-escalated
  1. reduced
  2. decreased
  3. subsided
  4. diminished
  5. fell
  6. eased
Verb
  • Bassam Abed said at least 10 residences housing some 300 families were reduced to rubble, and families were not given enough time to flee.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
  • That night’s show was reduced from 29 to 19 songs, between the concert running late from the interruption and Toomey likely not being able to duplicate Castronovo’s lead singing moments as well as his drumming.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of reduced
Verb
  • Deaths from the virus have decreased by 36% in the past decade.
    — Philip A. Chan, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Penalties of $3,400 issued the same month against the town of Brentwood were decreased to $2,600 after a settlement.
    — William J. Ford, Baltimore Sun, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of decreased
Verb
  • Less than a day after that subsided, a second eruption followed.
    — John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 9 Oct. 2026
  • International outrage over the carnage in Gaza, meanwhile, has largely subsided, with many countries preferring a failing peace process to none at all.
    — KHALED ELGINDY, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of subsided
Verb
  • The weather service canceled the flood watch for nearly all the Kansas City forecast area because the threat of additional heavy rain had diminished.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026
  • One can see this when a paint’s color appears diminished and faded.
    — Wendy S. Walters, Architectural Digest, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of diminished
Verb
  • Griess, the superintendent of the National Mall and Memorial Parks, said the 430 trees that were felled were not identified as hazardous or raising safety concerns.
    — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Yet trees that took a millennium to grow can be felled in under an hour.
    — Annika Hammerschlag, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of fell
Verb
  • Part of the issue is that while inflation has eased from the levels seen earlier in the decade, the cost of many everyday expenses remains elevated, and prices are continuing to climb.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • To be sure, oil prices have dropped in recent weeks as supply blockages have eased.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of eased

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Cite this Entry

“De-escalated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/de-escalated. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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