de-escalate
verb (used with or without object)
to decrease in intensity, magnitude, etc..
deescalate
-
a variation of
de-escalate.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
According to the OIG report, between July 2025 and January 2026, the facility kept 79 immigrants in the small metal enclosures, describing them as "calming areas" for people to "deescalate and have time alone".
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
Officers arrived and encountered a man matching the description provided by the caller and attempted to deescalate the situation, police said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 18, 2026
I decided to help out and deescalate the situation.
From Salon ● Mar. 5, 2026
OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, told me that their newest model, GPT-5, is a better model to “respond to potential signs of mental and emotional distress” and to deescalate them “in a supportive, grounding way.”
From Slate ● Feb. 2, 2026
There was nothing to do but try and deescalate, and fast.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
