de-escalated

verb

past tense of de-escalate
1
as in reduced
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent first, the mediator tried to de-escalate the tension in the room

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decreased
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually the fighting de-escalated as the peace talks progressed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of de-escalated The conflict was de-escalated by a 2019 peace deal between the government and 14 armed groups, but six of the groups later withdrew from the agreement. — ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026 Geopolitical developments have dominated weekend newsflow, with a flare-up of tensions in Iran being quickly de-escalated. — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 29 June 2026 Several police departments in the region responded to help and de-escalated the situation. — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 17 May 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. — Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026 Trump’s tactic risks reopening fraught geopolitical wounds with Beijing, following its bruising trade war with Washington that de-escalated late last year. — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 13 Jan. 2026 Officers de-escalated the scene, and there were no arrests made, police told the outlet. — Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025 Officers de-escalated the situation and arrested 22-year-old Antonio Mellon. — Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025 Officers de-escalated the situation and got him safely to the ground, Caylor said. — Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for de-escalated
  1. reduced
  2. decreased
  3. subsided
  4. diminished
  5. fell
  6. eased
Verb
  • Newcastle end the window with the squad’s average age and wage bill significantly reduced.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Households reduced fuel consumption due to elevated prices owed to the Middle East conflict, and cut domestic and international travel.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of reduced
Verb
  • In some cases, LinkedIn says views of content classified as AI spam have decreased by as much as 40 percent.
    — Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Travel data shows the average group size for trips has decreased since COVID-19 began.
    — Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of decreased
Verb
  • Though impending rainstorms are likely to make rescue operations more difficult, officials say a previous threat from a lake that had formed on the border between Nepal and Tibet has substantially subsided.
    — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Opinion ​polls gave the king firm backing to stay on for life, however, and the criticism subsided.
    — Terje Solsvik, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of subsided
Verb
  • Inside one, the individual is both multiplied and diminished.
    — Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The persuasiveness of these efforts, however, is diminished when a WRO is modified without transparency and despite readily accessible evidence indicating that conditions for the workers have not truly improved.
    — Charity Ryerson, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of diminished
Verb
  • Rincker, a German immigrant, was known for casting the bell that hung from the first Cook County Courthouse, which was felled by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Frightened that she may be plagued by the same mental illness that felled her mom, Gemma stubbornly refuses to believe anything is wrong.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of fell
Verb
  • Globally, refinery capacity shortages have helped keep fuel prices elevated even as crude prices have eased.
    — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The immediate danger eased only when the barrier drained gradually rather than collapsing all at once.
    — Umesh Haritashya, The Conversation, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of eased

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Cite this Entry

“De-escalated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/de-escalated. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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