quell

1 of 2

verb

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
The excitement following a superb victory at Manchester City was quelled somewhat by a home defeat to Bournemouth, but optimism endures that Frank’s side can clinch a top-five spot. Jack Bantock, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2025 The case could help redefine how National Guard troops can be deployed to help fight crime and quell disturbances. Bart Jansen, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025 These include his efforts to redraw his state's congressional boundaries in response to Texas Republicans' plan for mid-decade redistricting, opposition to Trump's attempts to federalize the National Guard to quell protests in Los Angeles earlier this summer and social media trolling. Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025 In an attempt to quell the public anger, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said on Sunday the country’s parliament would listen and act on people’s concerns, pledging to curb hefty allowances for lawmakers. Anniek Bao, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2025 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

13th 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 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Quell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quell. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

quell

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

More from Merriam-Webster on quell

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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