MEANING
To make a conflict or dangerous situation less intense.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- de-escalate a confrontation
- de-escalate tensions
On the page
The negotiator used a calm voice to de-escalate the confrontation.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- de-escalate
- Past tense
- de-escalated
- Past participle
- de-escalated
- Present participle
- de-escalating
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- de-escalate
- Present continuous
- am/is/are de-escalating
- Present perfect
- have/has de-escalated
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been de-escalating
- Past
- de-escalated
- Past continuous
- was/were de-escalating
- Past perfect
- had de-escalated
- Past perfect continuous
- had been de-escalating
- Future
- will de-escalate
- Future continuous
- will be de-escalating
- Future perfect
- will have de-escalated
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been de-escalating
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: academic / formal. Forms: de-escalate; de-escalates; de-escalated; de-escalated; de-escalating Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: change, causation. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: de-escalates.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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