1
as in to subdue
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
the National Guard was called in to help quell the late-night disturbances downtown
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Recent Examples of quell
Council members had long pledged to quell gang violence and improve life for Haiti but fell overwhelmingly short.
—
Evens Sanon, Arkansas Online, 8 Feb. 2026
But lawmakers and the GOP base might need more than a few domestic visits to quell the concerns.
—Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 7 Feb. 2026
Having someone control the narrative around these issues could help to quell that brewing skepticism.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
The right brush will help quell inflammation and promote lymphatic drainage to deliver multiple and lasting benefits.
—Emily Orofino, Vogue, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quell
Evens Sanon, Arkansas Online, 8 Feb. 2026
But lawmakers and the GOP base might need more than a few domestic visits to quell the concerns.
—Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 7 Feb. 2026
Having someone control the narrative around these issues could help to quell that brewing skepticism.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
The right brush will help quell inflammation and promote lymphatic drainage to deliver multiple and lasting benefits.
—Emily Orofino, Vogue, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quell
Verb
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Joe Brusuelas, senior economist at RSM US, highlighted a few of those factors when pushing back on White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett’s claim Monday that subdued job gains are primarily the result of lower population figures and higher productivity.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
-
State Police troopers used a Taser in an attempt to subdue him.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Some shushed the crowds, urging them to be silent and reverent.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Levy sat on the floor, watching like a proud father and shushing whisperers.—
Jane Bua,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Nevertheless, the free spirit of Americans cannot be suppressed.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The royal government was also known as a dictatorship for banning political parties, suppressing revolts and political opposition, controlling the press and having its own secret police force called SAVAK.—
Nollyanne Delacruz,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The quiet ethic often called Minnesota Nice is outshining the intimidation meant to silence dissent.—
Valeng Cha,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
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Universities are under threat of government interference, book banning has reached unprecedented levels, journalists and artists and media outlets and attorneys are being punished, silenced, and doxed, and dissent everywhere is being criminalized.—
Gioia Woods,
Literary Hub,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Be prudent about your indulgences, but don’t feel the need to repress them for the sake of a wider audience who was never going to get it.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The parts of me that had been repressed for so long all came a bit too much to a head.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While OpenAI hasn’t yet settled on a way to implement ads for its blockbuster chatbot, an early screenshot the company showed off during its announcement late last year indicates that free-tier users will likely be painfully aware that the company is trying to sell them something.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
5 Feb. 2026
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Encased in inflatable shock absorbers, the sphere bounced across the lunar surface like a beach ball, eventually settling and unfolding four petal-like panels to stabilize itself.—
Ilya Ferapontov,
Scientific American,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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On Friday, the Sheriff’s Department sought to quash rumors that there was a divide between local and federal investigators, centered on the handling of evidence and which lab it should be sent to.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
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In addition to asking that the subpoena be quashed, Wexner sought a protective order that would have barred plaintiffs from questioning him in the case.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Now, all is hushed and warm, and there is marble beneath our feet.—
Caroline Law,
TheWeek,
9 Feb. 2026
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Down at the finish line, the crowd hushed.—
Will Graves,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quell. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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