quell

1 of 2

verb

quelled; quelling; quells
Synonyms of quellnext

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

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
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Verb
Later in the video, Rogers used a fire extinguisher to quell some of the flames on the exterior of the door. Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026 This effort to include everyone did not quell protests. Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026 During the hottest part of summer, a ceiling fan may be running 24/7 to quell the heat. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 May 2026 The force also may be used to help quell civil disturbances and, if necessary, be armed with guns. Jim Turner, Sun Sentinel, 13 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for quell

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of quell was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Quell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quell. Accessed 15 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

quell

verb
ˈkwel
1
: to put down by force
quell a riot
2
: quiet entry 3
quell fears
queller noun

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