de-escalate
Americanverb (used with or without object)
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de-escalates,
present (3rd person singular)
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de-escalated,
past participle, past
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de-escalating
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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de-escalatesimple
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de-escalatessimple
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have de-escalatedperfect
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has de-escalatedperfect
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am de-escalatingprogressive
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are de-escalatingprogressive
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is de-escalatingprogressive
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have been de-escalatingperfect progressive
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has been de-escalatingperfect progressive
Past
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de-escalatedsimple
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had de-escalatedperfect
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was de-escalatingprogressive
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were de-escalatingprogressive
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had been de-escalatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of de-escalate
Explanation
When something de-escalates, it's turned down a notch, becoming quieter or calmer. If you want to de-escalate an argument between siblings you're babysitting, you might try giving them both a popsicle. In politics, de-escalating a situation can be a matter of life and death, as when mediators help de-escalate a conflict in order to avoid a war between two countries or groups. Whenever someone de-escalates an argument, they take something with potential to turn ugly or even violent and tone things down so that the issues can be calmly discussed. Police officers, diplomats, and elementary school teachers all need to learn to de-escalate intense situations.
Vocabulary lists containing de-escalate
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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.
See Examples For:
Despite previous talks to de-escalate the conflict, the International Energy Agency said in its July oil-market report that Middle East export refineries have yet to restart.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
"Every day, I wake up wondering whether the situation will de-escalate or worsen," said Mustafa Mohamed, a 39-year-old Sudanese accountant in the Gulf country.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
The school said students are sometimes given word searches or other simple tasks initially to "de-escalate" their behaviour but once they are calm, they are given academic work.
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026
In a bid to de-escalate tensions, the U.S. has moved to set up a crisis communication line between the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
“Our officers did the best they could to de-escalate that situation ... from occurring into something fatal.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2026
While Citi’s commodity team is cautious on gold in the near term, it expects gold prices to bottom out when the Strait of Hormuz situation eventually de-escalates, the analysts say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026
“Assuming the war de-escalates in coming weeks and months, the U.S. economy should enjoy a better year of job growth in 2026 than 2025,” said Bill Adams, chief economist at Fifth Third Commercial Bank.
From MarketWatch ● May 7, 2026
The guidance assumes that the conflict in the Middle East de-escalates over the near-term and that SAP will close its deal for Reltio.
From Barron's ● Apr. 23, 2026
A security worker de-escalates the situation, and a social worker helps them take some deep breaths.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2023
“It’s hard to see how the situation de-escalates from here,” wrote Madiha Afzal, a fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, in a text message.
From New York Times ● May 10, 2023
The two nations have de-escalated from a tit-for-tat trade war last year that heightened tensions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 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.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 24, 2026
It’s part of a pattern, he said, of federal officers jumping straight to use of force in situations that could have been de-escalated but instead create danger for both agents and their targets.
From Salon ● Feb. 2, 2026
For now, both countries have de-escalated tensions but the truce remains shaky.
From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2025
While there have been serious exchanges of fire in the past, they de-escalated relatively quickly - a path our correspondent Jonathan Head thinks will be followed again.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2025
“But the de-escalating rhetoric is unlikely to move the needle for inter-Korean relations,” said Hwang.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 7, 2026
Talks between Cuba and the United States on de-escalating tensions are still at a "very preliminary" stage, Cuba's Deputy Foreign Minister Josefina Vidal told AFP on Tuesday.
From Barron's ● Apr. 7, 2026
President Abdel-Fattah Sissi of Egypt also said Monday that his country had delivered “clear messages” to Iran about de-escalating the conflict.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 23, 2026
Oil prices climbed above $100 a barrel on Monday, reaching levels not seen since 2022, as the conflict showed no signs of de-escalating, adding to growing concerns of a lasting supply shock.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 9, 2026
This is attributed to a number of factors including major oil producers agreeing to keep output unchanged and signs of de-escalating tensions between the US and Iran.
From BBC ● Feb. 2, 2026
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
