1
as in to subdue
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
the National Guard was called in to help quell the late-night disturbances downtown
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Recent Examples of quell
The company has tapped former CEO Stephen Hemsley to replace Witty, becoming the latest company to turn to an experienced executive to take the helm, in the hopes of quelling investor concerns amid economic uncertainty.
—
Sneha S.k, USA Today, 16 May 2025
For even more defense against tired-looking eyes, there’s also a marine bacteria ferment in the formula, which helps quell puffiness.
—Emily Orofino, Vogue, 6 May 2025
It’s also infused with aloe and calendula extracts, which are soothing to skin and help quell redness.
—Deanna Pai, Vogue, 15 May 2025
Several protesters were injured, some of them critically, by Flash-balls fired by riot police, or by cops sent out to quell demonstrations that were growing increasingly unwieldy.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for quell
Sneha S.k, USA Today, 16 May 2025
For even more defense against tired-looking eyes, there’s also a marine bacteria ferment in the formula, which helps quell puffiness.
—Emily Orofino, Vogue, 6 May 2025
It’s also infused with aloe and calendula extracts, which are soothing to skin and help quell redness.
—Deanna Pai, Vogue, 15 May 2025
Several protesters were injured, some of them critically, by Flash-balls fired by riot police, or by cops sent out to quell demonstrations that were growing increasingly unwieldy.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for quell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quell
Verb
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Officers used a taser on the man to try to subdue him, according to Cleverdon.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
19 May 2025
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The most subdued of those was one of the most tempting: Hotel Wren in Twentynine Palms, which only opened in March, a 12-room, high-end retreat with muted colors, enormous rooms, custom furniture and poolside mountain views.—
Christopher Reynolds,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2025
Verb
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Collectively, thousands of fans shushed each other to help Brunson focus.—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
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May 15, 2025 Suleymanov shushed the St. Louis supporters and later cupped his hands to his ears while gathering the ball for a throw-in.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
15 May 2025
Verb
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Eight engines, three water tenders, two dozers and one hand crew are working to suppress the fire.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
26 May 2025
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And in 1955, the McGee Fire burned through much of Converse Basin, consuming second-growth sequoias and demonstrating the dangers of suppressing all fires.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
Verb
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But what's new is both the effort to silence and harm the career prospects of student dissidents as well as the coordinated effort to force universities to shutter entire programs of study for fear that criticism of Israel's policies—and America's complicity with them—might escape containment.—
David Faris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 May 2025
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The fearless testimony of the three survivors during this trial proves that no matter how powerful the abuser, no matter how indifferent the systems that ignore the abuse, survivors will not be silenced.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2025
Verb
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Abscisic acid kick-starts a cascade of biochemical reactions that repress cell division and growth, while gibberellin has the opposite effect.—
Katarina Zimmer,
Smithsonian Magazine,
2 May 2025
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They can be removed, added and relocated to activate certain genes and repress others.—
Viviane Callier,
Quanta Magazine,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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They were welcomed into the world at 29 weeks and spent some time in NICU before settling into their home with their two brothers, who are now two and four years old.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
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Instead, the zoning dispute will be settled in court.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
28 May 2025
Verb
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Now scientists are finding the sun’s rays could truly help to quash some autoimmune diseases.—
Jeanna Bryner,
Scientific American,
20 May 2025
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However, Tuesday morning seemingly saw Klopp’s representative seek to quash the rumours.—
Adam Digby,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
Verb
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Throughout January and February, the neighborhood’s streets were hushed, the Latin American restaurants emptier.—
Jordan Salama,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
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But the confidence and craftsmanship invested in Crash are, ultimately, the problem, because the infuriatingly contrived screenplay and hushed seriousness conspire to produce a risible portrait of complex social issues reduced to glib plot points.—
Will Leitch,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quell. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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