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
-
have de-escalatedperfect
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has de-escalatedperfect
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am de-escalatingprogressive
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are de-escalatingprogressive
-
is de-escalatingprogressive
-
have been de-escalatingperfect progressive
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has been de-escalatingperfect progressive
Past
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de-escalatedsimple
-
had de-escalatedperfect
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was de-escalatingprogressive
-
were de-escalatingprogressive
-
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:
He acknowledged that the "political track" of negotiations to end the conflict was "complex" but said Ukrainians were asking Melania Trump "to keep going and find new missions and de-escalate more."
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
Officers remained at the scene to de-escalate the situation and direct a crowd of onlookers away from the area, police said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026
It also called for a prompt investigation of allegations of excessive force by police and called "all sides to de-escalate the tension".
From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026
The misconduct panel found Comotto and Smith did not attempt to de-escalate the situation before using force and had breached standards of professional behaviour.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
The Saudi message was that Iran’s proxies had been weakened and that it was now time to de-escalate, according to a person familiar with the meetings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
She hands out camping chairs, decides when it is safe to use the escalator, and de-escalates spats between people squabbling over a patch of floor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 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
As the first phase of his most consequential military triumph ended, Johnson decided not to seek re-election and de-escalated in an effort to secure peace.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 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
A ceasefire has de-escalated the conflict with the Houthis in recent years and led to a freezing of the front lines.
From BBC ● Jan. 2, 2026
For now, both countries have de-escalated tensions but the truce remains shaky.
From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 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
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
Before Monday's strike, China had dispatched a special envoy to mediate between Afghanistan and Pakistan, pledging to play a "constructive role in de-escalating tensions".
From Barron's ● Mar. 18, 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
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
