quelled; quelling; quells
1
: to thoroughly overwhelm and reduce to submission or passivity
quell a riot
queller
noun
Synonyms
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
Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, 30 Apr. 2024
In Egypt, where since taking power in 2013 President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has quelled protest and muffled most criticism, the authorities are ever mindful that activism can quickly boomerang against them.
—Emad Mekay, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for quell 
Verb
Using the National Guard to quell crime and protests
Crime remains a poignant selling point for the Trump campaign, which leverages it both in terms of talking about migrants coming into the country and the recent uptick of college campus protests against the war in Gaza.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, 30 Apr. 2024
In Egypt, where since taking power in 2013 President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has quelled protest and muffled most criticism, the authorities are ever mindful that activism can quickly boomerang against them.
—Emad Mekay, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for quell
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'quell.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near quell
Cite this Entry
“Quell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quell. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
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