quell

1 of 2

verb

ˈkwel 

quelled; quelling; quells

transitive verb

1

: to thoroughly overwhelm and reduce to submission or passivity

quell a riot

2

: quiet, pacify

quell fears

queller noun

quell

2 of 2

noun

1

obsolete : slaughter

2

archaic : the power of quelling

Synonyms of quell

Verb

• subdue
• suppress
• repress
• quash
• crush

Examples of quell in a Sentence

Verb

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 on the Web

Verb

Ultimately, the reassurances about community resources and air quality failed to quell the fury inside the room as residents took the microphone during the Q&A section and repeatedly expressed feelings of betrayal and mistrust. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026

To quell the mounting curiosity, the top GOP leaders and a CNN acolyte shared accounts of lengthy phone calls with the Kentucky Republican. — Gabrielle Banks, USA Today, 10 July 2026

Some observers—especially on the left—dismiss the recent rush of commentary as vaguely racist media hype, or as the latest chapter in society’s vain effort to quell the permanent volcano of adolescence. — Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026

However, moisture from the storms could help quell the flames. — Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 7 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, to kill, quell, from Old English cwellan to kill; akin to Old High German quellen to torture, kill, quāla torment, Lithuanian gelti to hurt

Noun

Middle English, from quellen to kill

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for quell

• bel
• belle
• cel
• cell
• dell
• dwell
• el
• ell
• fel
• fell
• gel
• gell

Kids Definition

quell

verb

ˈkwel

1

: to put down by force

quell a riot

2

: quiet entry 3

quell fears

queller noun