quench

verb

quenched; quenching; quenches

transitive verb

1
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 youAlfred 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 desiresLucius Garvin
the praise that quenches all desire to read the bookT. S. Eliot
b
: to terminate by or as if by destroying : eliminate
the Commonwealth party quenched a whole generation of play-actingMargery 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 adjective
quencher noun
quenchless adjective

Example Sentences

we thoroughly quenched the campfire before we headed to bed this lemonade really quenches my thirst
Recent Examples on the Web After sips of nostalgia — delivering a blistering medley at the 2022 IHeart Music Awards and contributing to this year’s Hip-Hop 50 tribute at the Grammys — Uncle L looks to quench his thirst for performing with his upcoming F.O.R.C.E. Live arena tour this summer. Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 27 Apr. 2023 Food vendors and a beer garden quenched people’s appetite and thirst. Michelle Cruz, The Arizona Republic, 4 Mar. 2023 Perfect for quenching your thirst while performing in sports and other physical activities, Gatorade Zero Sugar sports drinks are formulated with electrolytes and other nutrients designed to replenish important vitamins and minerals lost due to sweating. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 12 Feb. 2023 Lunar water could be used to quench the thirst of parched astronauts. Jennifer Leman, Popular Mechanics, 26 Oct. 2020 Next, to quench parched skin ahead of your face rolling session, do a quick spritz of Chanel’s face mist. Kiana Murden, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2022 And if those aren’t enough to quench your unslakable thirst for these readily purchasable items, stick around for the front end of the credits, which offer 2-D drawings of the movie-edition vehicles invading your local retailer like an unstoppable fungus. Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2021 Some speculate Ahmaud goes inside for a sip of water — or only to quench his curiosity. Omar Villafranca, CBS News, 19 June 2021 Virtual Reality are meant to quench. David Karpf, Wired, 27 July 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'quench.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of quench was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near quench

Cite this Entry

“Quench.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quench. Accessed 30 May. 2023.

Kids Definition

quench

verb
1
: extinguish sense 1
quench a fire
2
: to bring to an end
3
: satisfy sense 2b
quench your thirst
quenchable adjective
quencher noun

More from Merriam-Webster on quench

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