de-escalation
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Explanation
When a potentially violent situation becomes less intense, reducing the likelihood of a conflict, that's de-escalation. Instead of another loud argument with your brother, you might aim for de-escalation. De-escalation is a technique that's used by a wide variety of people, from police officers to company managers to elementary school teachers to leaders of countries. Turning down the intensity of a disagreement, ideally getting people to discuss their issues instead of shoving each other (or starting a war) is what de-escalation is all about. The word comes from the prefix de-, "the opposite of," and escalate, or "raise," from a Latin root meaning "to climb."
Vocabulary lists containing de-escalation
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.
Another is that neither side has a real strategy, just tactical de-escalation.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 23, 2026
The European Union recently issued a warning and called for "an immediate de-escalation" in northern Ethiopia.
From BBC • Jun. 21, 2026
“The longer the supply disruption lasts, the more vulnerable the oil market should be and, in theory, face greater upward volatility whenever de-escalation hopes aren’t fulfilled,” wrote ING analyst Francesco Pesole in a research note.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
Veteran SPD lawmakers Rolf Mützenich and Ralf Stegner both welcomed the cancellation of the missile deal in particular as a sign of de-escalation.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026
With yields already testing 4.6%-plus, futures pricing in later hikes, and a narrow window of de-escalation opening, Warsh has a rare opportunity.
From MarketWatch • May 22, 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.
