1
as in subduing
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shushing
to stop the noise or speech of
the principal held up her hand to quell the students so they could hear the urgent announcement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of quelling
Trump and Republicans last year aggressively ramped up policies favorable to fossil fuels after romping to an electoral victory in 2024 on a promise to lower the cost of living, including by quelling gas prices.
—
Garrett Downs, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2026
Cipriani’s suit alleges Shell was desperate for help in quelling negative stories about him.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Sales of the iPhone have also been instrumental in quelling Wall Street’s concerns about where the company stands in the AI race.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 2 Mar. 2026
Some of Altman’s and OpenAI’s social media push over the weekend seemed aimed at quelling concerns among the company’s own employees over the Pentagon contract.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2026
In a statement broadcast by state TV, a security force known for quelling unrest accused terrorists of targeting military and law enforcement bases over the past two nights.
—Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 10 Jan. 2026
This potency can be a good thing for quelling inflammation—but also calls for caution.
—Sarah Garone, Health, 9 Dec. 2025
Now, however, Marcos’ government faces one of its greatest challenges in quelling public outcry, and his rivals are using the furor against him.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 19 Nov. 2025
Even as plenty of doctors have scrambled to address the flaws of the WHI and the benefits of HRT for quelling the symptoms of menopause, women have remained, understandably, deterred by the scary warning.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 10 Nov. 2025
Garrett Downs, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2026
Cipriani’s suit alleges Shell was desperate for help in quelling negative stories about him.
—Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Sales of the iPhone have also been instrumental in quelling Wall Street’s concerns about where the company stands in the AI race.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 2 Mar. 2026
Some of Altman’s and OpenAI’s social media push over the weekend seemed aimed at quelling concerns among the company’s own employees over the Pentagon contract.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2026
In a statement broadcast by state TV, a security force known for quelling unrest accused terrorists of targeting military and law enforcement bases over the past two nights.
—Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 10 Jan. 2026
This potency can be a good thing for quelling inflammation—but also calls for caution.
—Sarah Garone, Health, 9 Dec. 2025
Now, however, Marcos’ government faces one of its greatest challenges in quelling public outcry, and his rivals are using the furor against him.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 19 Nov. 2025
Even as plenty of doctors have scrambled to address the flaws of the WHI and the benefits of HRT for quelling the symptoms of menopause, women have remained, understandably, deterred by the scary warning.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 10 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quelling
Verb
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Multiple officers were involved in subduing Guity and placing him in handcuffs, police said.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
-
As the representative for the armed wing of a human empire, you're tasked with subduing these Lovecraftian abominations and securing a foothold for humanity on alien worlds.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Levy sat on the floor, watching like a proud father and shushing whisperers.—
Jane Bua,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Top sleep aid for kids This extremely popular sound machine uses an authentic human voice to calm babies to sleep with a calming, shushing sound.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Kamphoff advises that parents model productive behavior to show kids how to manage their negative emotions, rather than suppressing them.—
Tom Huddleston Jr.,
CNBC,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The deportations to Eswatini, a tiny kingdom bordering South Africa, where the king has full power and has been accused of suppressing pro-democracy movements, have sparked protests from civic groups there.—
Nokukhanya Musi,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Kimmel quotes from one popular manual, published in 1916, that advised quieting a crying baby by flipping it over and administering a vigorous spanking.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Ball collided hard with Lee and both crumpled quickly to the floor, quieting the arena while many looked on anxiously.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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After surviving a 1981 assassination attempt that paralyzed his right hand, Khamenei served as Iran’s president, brutally repressing dissent.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
10 Mar. 2026
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His name has been associated with police operations carried out in the context of protests, detentions, and crowd-control actions executed by the PNB, a force that since its creation has played a central role in repressing political dissent.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Instead of silencing the public and turning them away, Democrats should stay and do the job they were elected to do.—
Kaitlin McCallum,
Hartford Courant,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Simmons said Tarrant families are tired of O’Hare’s bullying, silencing and antics.—
Rachel Royster
March 5,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This year’s mantra of joy has resonated after last year’s crushing Final Four loss to Connecticut.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Some might find that turnaround surprising, especially considering the crushing manner in which Texas (18-1, 2-1 SEC) lost Friday, giving up a two-out, go-ahead grand slam in the ninth inning before ultimately falling in extras.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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So for anyone who’s struggling to create that distance, Jeter suggests starting small and committing to just one month of no direct communication—along with blocking or muting them online.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
9 Feb. 2026
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The two-year war that followed had a muting effect on deals between Israel and the UAE, as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza created a PR catastrophe for Israelis in the Gulf.—
Kelsey Warner,
semafor.com,
19 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quelling. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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