de-escalates

verb

present tense third-person singular of de-escalate
1
as in reduces
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent first, the mediator tried to de-escalate the tension in the room

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decreases
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-escalates You will be surprised by how often the familiarity of the song de-escalates the tension. — Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 3 June 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for de-escalates
  1. reduces
  2. decreases
  3. diminishes
  4. subsides
  5. declines
Verb
  • There is a possibility that the strengthening El Niño weather event creates a mild early winter in northeast Asia which reduces demand, Drinkwater said.
    — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The faster process reduces energy which is lost as waste heat.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of reduces
Verb
  • Splitting the shot up decreases vaccination rates and leaves children unprotected over a longer period, experts say.
    — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026
  • When employees actively participate in shaping the policies that govern their day-to-day experience, engagement rises and turnover decreases.
    — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of decreases
Verb
  • Once the journey time increases, the value proposition diminishes and the project is less likely to succeed.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The Congressional Budget Office estimates that for every dollar added to the deficit, private investment loses 33 cents, which diminishes economic growth and wages over time.
    — Medora Lee, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of diminishes
Verb
  • When the storm subsides, the Pogues use Kiara’s coordinates and Pope’s calculations to return to the water and search for the gold.
    — Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The brutal nausea and vomiting of norovirus, for instance, subsides in one to three days; even the relentless diarrhea of cyclosporiasis can let up in a couple of days with an antibiotic.
    — Erica Sloan, Washington Post, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of subsides
Verb
  • Even as Rumours declines, none of the drops connected with the set are especially dramatic.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Understand that viewership already declines considerably when both are absent.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of declines

Browse Nearby Words

de-escalated
de-escalates
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Cite this Entry

“De-escalates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/de-escalates. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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