Synonyms

de-escalate

American

[dee-es-kuh-leyt] / diˈɛs kəˌleɪt /

Or deescalate

verb (used with or without object)

de-escalated, de-escalating

to decrease in intensity, magnitude, etc..

to de-escalate a war.

de-escalate British

/ diːˈɛskəˌleɪt /

verb

to reduce the level or intensity of (a crisis, etc)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

de-escalation noun
de-escalatory adjective
deescalation noun
deescalatory adjective

Etymology

Origin of de-escalate

First recorded in 1960–65; 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.

While there have been serious exchanges of fire in the past, they de-escalated relatively quickly.

From BBC

Public pressure in both countries makes it harder for either side to de-escalate, increasing the risk of a public incident spreading into a broader confrontation.

From The Wall Street Journal

The release of novelist Boualem Sansal has de-escalated a crisis in relations between France and its former colony Algeria, but much work remains to be done to normalise ties deeply scarred by history.

From Barron's

But it was a battle of wills and economic pain set the two nations on a path that ultimately led to Thursday's meeting and an agreement on both sides to de-escalate.

From BBC

"And it has escalated to de-escalate, which is a very new tactic."

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023