quash 1 of 2

verb (1)

ˈkwäsh How to pronounce quash (audio)
Definition of quashnext
as in to quell
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force the dictator commanded the army to quash the uprising without mercy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

quash

2 of 2

verb (2)

as in to abolish
to put an end to by formal action attorneys asked the court to quash the indictment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of quash
Verb
The volunteers would be an additional layer of security to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and the Basij militia, which has played a key role in quashing anti-government protests. — Nasser Karimi, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026 Prosecutors say Alsheikh, seeking to quash political dissent, sent certain prisoners to a wing of Adra where they were held in small isolation cells and tortured. — ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026 The arguments in the motion to quash are similar for each of two offenses, hindering proceedings by disorderly conduct and disrupting a meeting or procession. — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Sep. 2026 Nelson Velázquez delivered a go-ahead double and Hader converted his 22nd save in as many chances to quash any debate about Alvarez’s early absence. — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for quash
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quash
  1. quell
  2. abolish
  3. suppress
  4. repeal
  5. subdue
  6. cancel
  7. overturn
  8. avoid
Verb
  • Europe hardens on migration as nationalist support grows European countries sought to harden migration rules in a bid to quell support for nationalist parties across the continent.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Riot police deployed to quell a protest typically arrange themselves into a square tactical unit.
    — Sophie Landres, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of quell
Verb
  • The vice president also blasted Nixon, who is in an uphill race to defeat Moody, for supporting defunding the police and abolishing prisons.
    — Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Coleman later joins forces with HopesAndDrums for a house mix that calls for abolishing ICE.
    — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of abolish
Verb
  • These adjectives express the behavior that Reilly studied movies to learn how to suppress.
    — Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Becerra seems to either be suppressing a cough or hyperventilating at the bit of responding to Hilton’s vaccine vacuousness.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of suppress
Verb
  • Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency ceded some of its climate authority by repealing rules that limit planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas.
    — LINDSAY WHITEHURST, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The Forest Service says repealing the Roadless Rule would not immediately authorize roads, logging or mining in the Shawnee’s roadless areas.
    — Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of repeal
Verb
  • His actions nearly crashed the flight with 182 people on board before passengers and others rushed in and subdued him.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Abiy has tried and failed to subdue Tigray’s rebellious leaders in recent months, with TPLF Chairman Debretsion Gebremichael openly challenging him.
    — Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of subdue
Verb
  • Cage previously starred in the first two Ghost Rider movies, a franchise now being revived by Ryan Gosling, and as Spider-Noir in both the animated Beyond the Spider-Verse films and the live-action series Prime Video just canceled.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
  • One Elk Grove City Council race is on the ballot this November, after two other races were canceled and the incumbents were appointed to new terms because no challengers filed to run.
    — Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of cancel
Verb
  • The bankruptcy filing comes months after the Sacramento County Board of Education overturned Twin Rivers Unified’s decision to revoke the charters, and the district appealed that ruling to the California State Board of Education.
    — Chaewon Chung Updated October 5, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • In September, Wagner heard arguments on Yust’s motion to overturn his convictions.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of overturn
Verb
  • Rates actually continued to increase after the Society of Surgical Oncology adopted the guidelines in 2016, even though patients who received the biopsy were not more likely to survive or avoid recurrence.
    — Allessandra DiCorato, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Clapp said the firm focuses on avoiding highly leveraged companies and floating-rate debt, instead favoring investments with dependable cash flows to support clients over the long term.
    — Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of avoid

Browse Nearby Words

quasars
quash
quashed
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Quash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quash. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of etiquette

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All