de-escalate
verb
de-es·ca·late
(ˌ)dē-ˈe-skə-ˌlāt 
nonstandard -ˈe-skyə-
de-escalated; de-escalating; de-escalates
: limit sense 2b
de-escalate production
tried to de-escalate the tension
: to decrease in extent, volume, or scope
violence began to de-escalate
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
The helicopters' role was to de-escalate the situation by trying to engage with the pilot while the armed F-16s provided backup.
—
Luke Barr,
ABC News,
3 July 2026
Maybe a mental-health professional might have lowered the danger level, de-escalating the situation.
—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
29 June 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
Communications channels created to de-escalate any incidents are in place and technical talks are set to continue, the source added.
—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for de-escalate
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Luke Barr,
ABC News,
3 July 2026
Maybe a mental-health professional might have lowered the danger level, de-escalating the situation.
—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
29 June 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
Communications channels created to de-escalate any incidents are in place and technical talks are set to continue, the source added.
—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for de-escalate
Cite this Entry
“De-escalate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/de-escalate. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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