The word "deescalating" means to reduce or diminish the intensity or severity of a situation. Its opposite, or antonym, would be "escalating," which means to intensify or amplify something. Another antonym for "deescalating" could be "aggravating," which means to worsen, exacerbate, or irritate a situation. Similarly, "provoking" or "inciting" could also be antonyms, as they refer to actions that encourage or stimulate conflict or aggression rather than calm it down. In contrast, terms like "pacifying," "soothing," and "calming" would be synonymous with "deescalating" and denote actions that lower tension and promote peace.