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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of quell
The format in which the Iranian regime released his statement did little to quell rumors that he could actually have been incapacitated, possibly even left in a coma, in the same strike that killed his father and mother.
—
Haley Ott, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026
Called to quell the laborers, the GEB used live ammunition against them.
—Sophia La Banca, JSTOR Daily, 11 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
Khamenei often used the broad range of powers at his disposal to quell dissent.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quell
Haley Ott, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026
Called to quell the laborers, the GEB used live ammunition against them.
—Sophia La Banca, JSTOR Daily, 11 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
Khamenei often used the broad range of powers at his disposal to quell dissent.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quell
Verb
-
Iranians were also celebrating the Persian New Year, known as Nowruz, a normally festive holiday that is more subdued this year.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Officers Emilio Campos and Christopher Doble were involved in the shooting and were not seriously injured while attempting to subdue Figueroa, police said.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
The Basij forces are a volunteer paramilitary militia, a branch of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, which Israel says was responsible for violently suppressing street protests against the Iranian government earlier this year.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
17 Mar. 2026
-
These actions are part of a sweeping anti-public strategy to undermine knowledge, suppress dissent and shift our culture toward a dangerous paradigm.—
Megan Thiele Strong,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Whoever killed Jocelyn Peters may have silenced the gunshot in her apartment, but outside surveillance cameras on the street were recording.—
Marcelena Spencer,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
-
The notion that the town cut a political deal in faraway Tallahassee to honor Trump and silence its own residents has only heightened the furor.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
For generations, the Cuban dictatorship has repressed those who speak out for freedom.—
- Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
After the overnight speculative panic from a fortnight ago that shot oil prices across the board to nearly $120 per barrel in the early premarket trading hours of March 9, oil prices quickly settled back down to $100.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
-
After admittedly chasing stats, which led to some early-season struggles, Simmons settled into the defensive end possession and blossomed into one of the SEC’s most prolific sack masters.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Basij have long operated as a national paramilitary force under the command of Iran's Islamic theocratic rulers, playing a major role in violently quashing anti-government protests, including the unprecedented wave of unrest in January.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Judge James Boasberg quashed subpoenas that had been issued to the Fed in January, ostensibly seeking information about cost overruns on the renovation of the Fed's headquarters.—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
All was hushed and stonily still, like the moon and its lights and shadows.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Inside, the rooms were intimate, jammed, dim, and hushed.—
Nicole Krauss,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quell. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
