1
: to thoroughly overwhelm and reduce to submission or passivity
- quell a riot
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Examples of quell in a Sentence
the National Guard was called in to help quell the late-night disturbances downtown
the principal held up her hand to quell the students so they could hear the urgent announcement
Recent Examples of quell from the Web
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But rather than quell tensions, the swift police action has had the opposite effect, transforming the case into a lightning rod for radical sectarian anger.
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But Russia, which backs Assad, has fought to quell the rebellion and maintain its military foothold in Syria.
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But Russia, which backs Assad, has fought to quell the rebellion and maintain its military foothold in Syria.
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Medical marijuana could help quell the ongoing opioid epidemic, a pair of new studies contends.
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West Ham face Southampton on their home ground on Saturday with extra police officers drafted in to quell any potential unrest due to the ugly scenes that marred their last home game in the Premier League.
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This question of how to quell Brexit uncertainty is dominating EU political debates too.
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Any advice for how to quell anxiety about one of my boyfriend’s main climbing partners being another woman?
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But that did little to quell the storm at the historically black university.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'quell.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
quell Synonyms
Synonyms
clamp down (on), crack down (on), crush, put down, quash, repress, silence, slap down, snuff (out), squash, squelch, subdue, suppress;
Near Antonyms
abet, aid, assist, back, help, prop up, support;
foment, incite, instigate, provoke, stir, whip (up);
advance, cultivate, encourage, forward, foster, further, nourish, nurture, promote;
Related Words
douse (also dowse), extinguish, put out, quench;
smother, stifle, strangle, throttle;
annihilate, decimate, demolish, desolate, destroy, devastate, nuke, rub out, ruin, smash, waste, wreck;
exterminate, obliterate, wipe out;
conquer, dominate, overcome, overpower, overwhelm, subdue, subjugate, vanquish;
Phrases
sit on;
Recent Examples of quell from the Web
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After Wesley and Joesley Batista, sons of patriarch Jose Batista Sobrinho, were jailed, Tomazoni has emerged as a face of quiet amid the storm, helping quell investor concerns about the future of one of Brazil’s largest companies.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'quell.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of quell
Middle English, from quellen to kill
QUELL Defined for English Language Learners
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: to end or stop (something) usually by using force
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: to calm or reduce (something, such as fear or worry)
QUELL Defined for Kids
Learn More about quell
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See words that rhyme with quell Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for quell Spanish Central: Translation of quell Nglish: Translation of quell for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of quell for Arabic speakers
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