1
as in shushing
to stop the noise or speech of
the instructor quickly silenced anyone who tried to interrupt we need to have a repairman come and silence that door alarm
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in suppressing
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
brutally silenced all political dissent in the country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of silencing
Russia has massively ramped up a campaign of silencing critics since launching its offensive on Ukraine in 2022.
—
CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
Instead, activists say, officials have moved to censor discussion of the issue, blocking searches and silencing those who have tried to warn women or press for action.
—New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
But freedom of expression is a constant pursuit, as natural as breathing, and silencing it is an imperfect practice that exhausts the oppressor and energizes the oppressed.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2026
On Sunday, Alnylam, the gene-silencing company that notched one gigantic accomplishment after another over the past five years, set out a plan for the next five years built on yet more innovation and growth.
—Matthew Herper, STAT, 11 Jan. 2026
Trump’s immigration policies don’t make sense as a pro-worker agenda, but do make sense as a way of silencing dissent and keeping out nonwhite immigrants.
—Gilad Edelman, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026
Students have been instructed to continue sheltering in place until further notice, locking doors and silencing phones.
—Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 13 Dec. 2025
These practices reveal a government intent not only on silencing words but on erasing belief itself.
—Oscar Biscet, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Bradford helped oversee it with Sidney’s late father, eventually twisting it to advance her own motives, erasing missions and silencing leaks.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 5 Dec. 2025
CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
Instead, activists say, officials have moved to censor discussion of the issue, blocking searches and silencing those who have tried to warn women or press for action.
—New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
But freedom of expression is a constant pursuit, as natural as breathing, and silencing it is an imperfect practice that exhausts the oppressor and energizes the oppressed.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2026
On Sunday, Alnylam, the gene-silencing company that notched one gigantic accomplishment after another over the past five years, set out a plan for the next five years built on yet more innovation and growth.
—Matthew Herper, STAT, 11 Jan. 2026
Trump’s immigration policies don’t make sense as a pro-worker agenda, but do make sense as a way of silencing dissent and keeping out nonwhite immigrants.
—Gilad Edelman, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026
Students have been instructed to continue sheltering in place until further notice, locking doors and silencing phones.
—Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 13 Dec. 2025
These practices reveal a government intent not only on silencing words but on erasing belief itself.
—Oscar Biscet, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Bradford helped oversee it with Sidney’s late father, eventually twisting it to advance her own motives, erasing missions and silencing leaks.
—Jp Mangalindan, Time, 5 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for silencing
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
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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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But Vance’s false accusations at last year’s conference – that Europe is suppressing freedom of speech and democracy, and facing civilizational decline – are now enshrined in US national security strategy.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
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Reinterpreting the history of slavery has given way to suppressing its memorialization entirely.—
Thomas Chatterton Williams,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 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
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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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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
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This potency can be a good thing for quelling inflammation—but also calls for caution.—
Sarah Garone,
Health,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
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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
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For much of the past year, neither side was willing to budge much from their respective stance, effectively muting any chance of a settlement.—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
1 Dec. 2025
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
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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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There are a lot of ways to declutter out there—the pile method and the discernment method are two of them, and now, everyone’s hushing their house.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
28 Dec. 2025
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Unfortunately, the austerity and elegance of the downstairs dining room acts as a dampener, hushing the salad’s brashness and sapping much of the fun.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
14 Dec. 2025
Verb
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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
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Despite these differences, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is resorting to a familiar playbook for repressing protests, blending a passing acknowledgement of his system’s shortcomings with maximum deflection and defiance.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Silencing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/silencing. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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