quench

verb

ˈkwench 

quenched; quenching; quenches

transitive verb

1

a

: put out, extinguish

b

: to put out the light or fire of

quench glowing coals with water

c

: to cool (something, such as heated metal) suddenly by immersion (as in oil or water)

d

: to cause to lose heat or warmth

you have quenched the warmth of France toward you

—Alfred Tennyson

2

a

: to bring (something immaterial) to an end typically by satisfying, damping, cooling, or decreasing

a rational understanding of the laws of nature can quench impossible desires

—Lucius Garvin

the praise that quenches all desire to read the book

—T. S. Eliot

b

: to terminate by or as if by destroying : eliminate

the Commonwealth party quenched a whole generation of play-acting

—Margery Bailey

quench a rebellion

c

: to relieve or satisfy with liquid

quenched his thirst at a wayside spring

intransitive verb

1

: to become extinguished : cool

2

: to become calm : subside

quenchable

ˈkwen-chə-bəl 

adjective

quencher noun

quenchless

ˈkwench-ləs 

adjective

Synonyms

• blanket
• douse
• dowse
• extinguish
• put out
• snuff (out)

Examples of quench in a Sentence

we thoroughly quenched the campfire before we headed to bed

this lemonade really quenches my thirst

Recent Examples on the Web

One of the main culprits is the extraction of groundwater to quench the thirst of growing populations and commerce. —Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 8 May 2025

Related Articles shop colourpop’s color of the month The cushiony formula quenches lips with a glossy finish and a hint of color — Mango Sorbet. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 7 May 2025

The variety of steel used to construct a knife, and the way in which it is forged, quenched, and treated, determine qualities like edge retention, ease of sharpening, chip and rust resistance, and even how fine of an edge is achievable at a microscopic level. —Wes Siler, Outside Online, 24 Apr. 2025

Thus, local massive galaxies have had a lot of time to start forming stars, grow to tremendous masses, and then exhaust the gas and dust needed for stellar construction, thus becoming quenched. —Robert Lea, Space.com, 8 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English -cwencan; akin to Old English -cwincan to vanish, Old Frisian quinka

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing quench

• quench one's/someone's thirst

Rhymes for quench

• clench
• drench
• stench
• tench
• trench
• wench
• wrench
• entrench
• retrench
• workbench

Kids Definition

quench

verb

ˈkwench 

1

: extinguish sense 1

quench a fire

2

: to bring to an end

3

: satisfy sense 2b

quench your thirst

quenchable

ˈkwen-chə-bəl 

adjective

quencher noun