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
  • Obviously, that’s a fair assumption if his ice time is meaningfully reduced, and the same goes for Draisaitl.
    — Janson Duench, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The development comes as the global shipping industry contends with attacks around the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, higher energy prices, and sharply reduced traffic through some of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of reduced
Verb
  • In the decade between 2026 and 2016, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the hours men spend on household activities have fractionally increased, while the hours carried out by women have slightly decreased.
    — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026
  • This number has decreased since 2015, when nearly 20% of Connecticut adults used tobacco products.
    — Sasha Allen, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of decreased
Verb
  • After the smoke subsided, residents reported feeling effects from the stench of rotting meat and food from the warehouse interior, where it had been stored frozen on tall racks that were hundreds of feet across.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Washington and Tehran agreed in June to a 60-day ceasefire, allowing time to negotiate a more durable peace deal while active fighting subsided and the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of subsided
Verb
  • And the Ku Klux Klan, though diminished from its earlier power, had not disappeared.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The value of a geographic component in roster management has diminished.
    — Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 25 Aug. 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
  • Then there’s Lew, who was eased into camp a little bit at a time, moving from a few reps to a few series to a day with the first team and now returning to start at center.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Last year, when Ohtani was returning from a second career Tommy John surgery, the Dodgers eased him into pitching slowly, starting with one inning and then adding an inning each appearance.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 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 29 Aug. 2026.

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