De-escalate is a verb that means to decrease the intensity, severity or tension of a situation. Antonyms for de-escalate include the words escalate, aggravate, intensify, heighten, inflame or exacerbate. To escalate is to increase or intensify, often leading to a more serious or dangerous situation. Aggravate means to worsen, irritate or make more severe. Intensify and heighten both mean to increase the strength or severity of something. Inflame means to stir up angry or hostile feelings, while exacerbate means to make a problem or situation worse. It is crucial to know different antonyms for de-escalate in order to use the appropriate vocabulary for different contexts.