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There are two quash verbs in the English language, and although their meanings are similar, they have entirely different origins. Both essentially mean to get rid of something—you can quash a rumor, for example, or you can quash a judicial order. The legal term quash (meaning "to nullify") comes from the Anglo-French words casser or quasser, meaning "to annul," and is ultimately from Latin cassus, "to void." The other quash means "to suppress or extinguish summarily and completely." It derives from the Middle English word quashen, meaning "to smash," and is ultimately from a form of the Latin verb quatere, meaning "to shake."
Examples of quash in a Sentence
Stephen Groves, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026
To move forward, Pirro will need to argue that Boasberg effectively ended her investigation by quashing the subpoenas.
—Matt Peterson, CNBC, 8 Apr. 2026
The only other time the city quashes permit requests is during the United Nations General Assembly, a weeklong annual event in September that involves major street closures and police resources being heavily used to protect dignitaries from around the globe.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
For decades, Iran’s rulers have quashed organized political opposition.
—Amir-Hussein Radjy, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quash
Cite this Entry
“Quash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quash. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
quash
2 of 2 verbVerb
Middle English quashen "to smash," from early French quasser, casser (same meaning), from Latin quassare "to shake violently, shatter," from quatere "to shake"
Verb
Middle English quashen "to nullify," from early French casser, quasser "to annul," from Latin cassare (same meaning), from earlier Latin cassus "void"
Legal Definition
quash
transitive verbTransitive verb
Anglo-French quasser, from Middle French casser, quasser, from Late Latin cassare, from Latin cassus void
