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

Some fruits like blueberries and strawberries are thought of even past their peak seasons, while the humble cranberry only takes center stage at Thanksgiving or when trying to quell a urinary tract infection (UTI). — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 2 Nov. 2026

The plastics industry began placing it on its products in the 1980s to quell public outrage over plastic pollution. — Lisa Song, ProPublica, 29 Oct. 2026

To quell concerns, the band posted an explanation on their social media channels. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2026

France’s government pledged on Monday to replace its national online university admissions platform in 2028, seeking to quell student anger after weeks of mass protests over education and living costs. — Thomas Adamson, Fortune, 26 Oct. 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