de-escalating

verb

present participle of de-escalate
1
as in reducing
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 decreasing
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-escalating Maybe a mental-health professional might have lowered the danger level, de-escalating the situation. — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026 Bouchard credits the drones for de-escalating the situation. — Heath Kalb, CBS News, 9 May 2026 Takaichi said the two leaders agreed on the importance of quickly de-escalating the conflict and to secure the safety of the vital waterway and the stable supply of goods. — ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026 But if the conflict shows no sign of de-escalating before that point, giving security and confidence to F1 and the FIA that the events could go ahead without any risks, then the only course of action would be to cancel both races. — Luke Smith, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026 That’s because Putin is focused on Ukraine, and Norway is skilled in de-escalating tense standoffs. — Tom Yulsman, Time, 23 Feb. 2026 Lyons credited Homan with de-escalating the situation. — Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026 The agent who appeared to be de-escalating a separate agent turns attention to the agent deploying pepper spray and waves him down. — Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 28 Jan. 2026 Loon said de-escalating tensions is in the best interest of Minnesota’s business community. — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 23 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for de-escalating
  1. reducing
  2. decreasing
  3. diminishing
  4. subsiding
  5. declining
  6. easing
Verb
  • The legislation reflects the complexity of the crisis, combining a total of 47 proposals aimed at increasing housing supply, reducing costs and expanding access to affordable homes.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • The goal is to improve inspection quality while reducing the risks associated with labor-intensive maintenance work.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 July 2026
Definition of reducing
Verb
  • But the population of mule deer has been steadily decreasing since the 1970s, leading some scientists to theorize that the newly resurgent wolves are relying on other prey, including beavers, rabbits and livestock, the 2021 report states.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026
  • On Sunday, there is a 15% to 30% chance of rain, with the chances decreasing throughout the day.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 8 July 2026
Definition of decreasing
Verb
  • Expensive eye creams have long been considered the gold standard for diminishing fine lines and wrinkles.
    — Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 10 July 2026
  • Prolonged exposure to heat can lead to insufficient or poor sleep, compromising the immune system, increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease and diminishing cognitive performance.
    — Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026
Definition of diminishing
Verb
  • India, one of the world's most prolific IPO markets, was gearing up for issues worth $50 billion as tension in the Middle East were subsiding.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 9 July 2026
  • The afternoon started tough until the wind kept subsiding, and players began taking aim at flags.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026
Definition of subsiding
Verb
  • There has been a lot of hand-wringing about the declining population of Los Angeles County, which lost 54,000 people from July 2024 to July 2025, the biggest numeric population drop in the nation during that period, by far.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • For years now, Olathe Schools has talked about its problem of declining enrollment.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026
Definition of declining
Verb
  • For years, state leaders have pushed cities and counties to approve more housing by easing zoning and land-use restrictions.
    — John Ramos, CBS News, 14 July 2026
  • According to the company, this helps lower latency, improve memory access and reduce energy consumption while easing dependence on the most advanced chipmaking technologies currently affected by US restrictions.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 July 2026
Definition of easing

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Cite this Entry

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

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