deescalate

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.

Officers arrived and encountered a man matching the description provided by the caller and attempted to deescalate the situation, police said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026

I decided to help out and deescalate the situation.

From Salon • Mar. 5, 2026

OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, told me that their newest model, GPT-5, is a better model to “respond to potential signs of mental and emotional distress” and to deescalate them “in a supportive, grounding way.”

From Slate • Feb. 2, 2026

The Pentagon chief said Dong and he "also agreed that we should set up military-to-military channels to deconflict and deescalate any problems that arise."

From Barron's • Nov. 2, 2025

Sensing the agent’s belligerent energy, my mom stood next to me and tried to deescalate the situation by calmly asking the security officer what the problem was.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad