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
Rather than quelling the controversy, Saada’s threat amplified it.
—
Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 27 May 2026
That terror and the presence of the Ku Klux Klan, which littered the streets with pamphlets amid the fallout of Padgett’s accusations, prompted the governor to call in the National Guard to quell the violence.
—Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 May 2026
Andrey Zvyagintsev, one of the most gifted Russian filmmakers of his generation, answers the question so decisively as to quell any knee-jerk remake fatigue.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 May 2026
As the various protest banners displayed at full time suggested, survival will do nothing to quell the anger or to soothe a mutinous atmosphere.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for quell
Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 27 May 2026
That terror and the presence of the Ku Klux Klan, which littered the streets with pamphlets amid the fallout of Padgett’s accusations, prompted the governor to call in the National Guard to quell the violence.
—Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 May 2026
Andrey Zvyagintsev, one of the most gifted Russian filmmakers of his generation, answers the question so decisively as to quell any knee-jerk remake fatigue.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 May 2026
As the various protest banners displayed at full time suggested, survival will do nothing to quell the anger or to soothe a mutinous atmosphere.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for quell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quell
Verb
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To even entertain a reality that absurd would require a faith in the American Dream blind enough to subdue the nightmare.—
Rodney Carmichael,
NPR,
3 June 2026
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Viewers have already seen glimpses of the premiere, which involves Aang and Katara subduing a sea serpent while guiding refugees across a treacherous path.—
Entertainment Weekly,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Trae Young won Madison Square Garden’s undying enmity in the 2021 playoffs for the Atlanta Hawks, punctuating game-breaking shots by shushing the crowd or bowing to the fans and waving goodbye.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
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The chatter caused the emcees to not-so-playfully shush the crowd several times.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
6 June 2026
Verb
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The program is a half-day, in-depth course to educate attendees on the principles used by firefighters in suppressing wildland fire and protecting structures in the Wildland Urban Interface, said workshop organizers.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 June 2026
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Rather than suppress his value, that could make Clarke and agent Randy Robitaille more inclined to hunker down in negotiations.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
9 June 2026
Verb
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The dismissal was granted Friday under Washington’s Anti-SLAPP laws, which are designed to prevent meritless lawsuits intended to silence opposing points of view on matters of public interest.—
Melissa Goldin,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
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The dismissal on Friday was granted under Washington's Anti-SLAPP laws, which are designed to prevent meritless lawsuits intended to silence opposing points of view on matters of public interest.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
Verb
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His arrest came during a years-long crackdown on civil society and dissent, which began following mass protests in 2018 that the government violently repressed.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
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His arrest came during a yearslong crackdown on civil society and dissent, which began following mass protests in 2018 that the government violently repressed.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
Verb
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The city of Aurora agreed to pay $15 million in November 2021 to settle a federal civil rights lawsuit brought by McClain's parents.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
5 June 2026
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McIntire, who settled in on the mound after giving up two home runs, proceeded to tie the game at 3-3 with a sacrifice fly.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 June 2026
Verb
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But Isiah Kiner-Falefa grounded into an inning-ending double play to quash Boston’s best scoring bid of the afternoon.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
7 June 2026
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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pledged earlier this week that Democrats would launch a coordinated effort to quash it.—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Sweeping views over Hyde Park and expert soundproofing that hushes those busy London street horns.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2026
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Tage Thompson’s voice was hushed when speaking to reporters.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quell. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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