de-escalation
Americannoun
plural
de-escalationsExplanation
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.
The way to deal with inflation was de-escalation, he said.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
Either we see continued de-escalation in the Middle East, crude moves lower, risk moves higher, and bonds should rally in that environment like they have just started to do.
From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026
France and Australia, called on Tuesday for Lebanon to be included in regional de-escalation efforts and urged all parties to pursue a lasting political solution, warning the continued war risks undermining broader stability.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
For now, ”risk appetites are leaning cleanly into a de-escalation narrative.”
From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026
In an op-ed for the Guardian last week, Starmer wrote: “Britain’s national interest is best served by de-escalation, diplomacy, and the swift reopening of the strait of Hormuz.”
From Slate • Apr. 13, 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.
