de-escalate

/ˌdiːˈes.kə.leɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌdiːˈes.kə.leɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /(ˌ)dē-ˈe-skə-ˌlāt How to pronounce de-escalate (audio) nonstandard -ˈe-skyə-/ (ame, mw)

de-escalate — verb

  • de-escalatepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • de-escalates3rd person singular
  • de-escalating-ing form
  • de-escalatedpast simple

1. to make a tense, risky, or difficult situation calmer and less serious, or to be

1.動詞及物 / 不及物C1
釋義

to make a tense, risky, or difficult situation calmer and less serious, or to become calmer and less serious in this way

例句

João spoke slowly to de-escalate the argument before the children started crying.

de-escalate + argument by calming speech

After two hours of talks, the border crisis finally de-escalated overnight.

intransitive: crisis de-escalated after talks

同義詞
  • calm

    broader and more everyday; often used for feelings or behaviour, not only conflicts

  • defuse

    suggests removing immediate danger from a tense situation before it gets worse

  • ease

    softer and less formal; often used when pressure or tension becomes less strong

反義詞
  • escalate

    direct opposite: to make a situation more serious or intense

  • inflame

    to make anger or conflict grow stronger, often emotionally

文法句型

de-escalate + conflict/situation noun (transitive)

conflict/situation + de-escalate (intransitive)

用法筆記

Common in news, workplace, and public-safety contexts. The object is usually a conflict, argument, crisis, protest, or other tense situation rather than a person directly.

常見錯誤

❌The manager de-escalated the angry customer.
✅The manager de-escalated the situation with the angry customer.
💡de-escalate usually lowers a conflict or tense situation, not the person directly.
❌The crisis de-escalated down after dinner.
✅The crisis de-escalated after dinner.
💡don't add 'down'; the verb already contains that meaning.

2. to lower the size, reach, amount, or strength of something, or for it to drop to

2.動詞及物 / 不及物C1
釋義

to lower the size, reach, amount, or strength of something, or for it to drop to a lower level

例句

Yuna promised to de-escalate the military response if the talks continued.

de-escalate + response/measure noun

By spring, the company had de-escalated its hiring plans in three cities.

同義詞
  • reduce

    the most general choice for making an amount or level smaller

  • scale back

    more informal and often used for plans, spending, or activity

  • tone down

    often used for language, criticism, or public reactions

  • diminish

    more formal and often used when size or intensity gradually becomes less

反義詞
  • escalate

    direct opposite: to raise the level, scope, or intensity

  • intensify

    focuses on something becoming stronger or more extreme

文法句型

de-escalate + response/measure/plan noun (transitive)

level/measure/noise + de-escalate (intransitive)

用法筆記

Common with responses, measures, plans, rhetoric, and other levels that are being reduced. Distinguish it from sense 1: this sense focuses on lowering scale or intensity rather than calming a dangerous or difficult situation.

常見錯誤

❌The company de-escalated from five stores.
✅The company de-escalated its hiring plans from five stores to two.
💡name the plan, level, or response being reduced, not only the starting point.