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 lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, came weeks after the Trump administration deployed the National Guard and Marines to the city to quell violence stemming from protests against federal immigration enforcement operations.
—
Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 30 June 2025
Even the strongest data supporting thimerosal’s safety have not quelled the concerns of those who insist on the chemical’s harms.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 25 June 2025
When President Trump mobilized the National Guard to L.A. to quell protests, the chamber risked putting itself in the crosshairs of the White House with an uncharacteristically pointed statement that the raids were disrupting communities and threatening the local economy.
—Md Fazlur Rahman, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025
Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D), as well as other Democrats, have bashed the president for using the National Guard and Marines to quell the protests and argued last week that the federal enforcement stoked chaos on the ground.
—Alex Gangitano, The Hill, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for quell
Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 30 June 2025
Even the strongest data supporting thimerosal’s safety have not quelled the concerns of those who insist on the chemical’s harms.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 25 June 2025
When President Trump mobilized the National Guard to L.A. to quell protests, the chamber risked putting itself in the crosshairs of the White House with an uncharacteristically pointed statement that the raids were disrupting communities and threatening the local economy.
—Md Fazlur Rahman, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025
Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D), as well as other Democrats, have bashed the president for using the National Guard and Marines to quell the protests and argued last week that the federal enforcement stoked chaos on the ground.
—Alex Gangitano, The Hill, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for quell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quell
Verb
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Nimmo’s celebration upon hitting the grand slam was subdued.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
6 July 2025
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This season blended bold designs, subdued silhouettes and interesting footwear to tell us one thing: menswear is slowly but surely becoming on-par with its female counterpart.—
Brett F. Braley-Palko,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2025
Verb
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For a start, the cheers from the nearby Andy Murray Arena are loud and booming, but so too is the exclusive balcony area hanging just to the side of the court, where people are sipping their wine or their Pimm’s and chatting loudly (the judge on court 1 has to shush them at one point).—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
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The crowd had just spent an entire overtime shushing each other.—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Verb
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The building’s sprinkler system suppressed the flames before firefighters completed their operations, bringing the fire under control in under 30 minutes, officials said.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
11 July 2025
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That same resolution created Palestine, which Israel has refused to recognize and has fought to suppress ever since.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 July 2025
Verb
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This option allows priority notifications — like severe weather alerts — to interrupt you while still silencing less urgent messages.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Austin American Statesman,
10 July 2025
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Elections are tightly controlled, opposition is criminalized, political parties are banned, and dissenters—even peaceful ones are silenced.—
Roya Boroumand,
Time,
9 July 2025
Verb
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Stevens’s reflections on his years of service reveal what’s pulsing beneath his composure: the choice to look away from troubling secrets and repress personal desires.—
Mia Barzilay Freund,
Vogue,
7 July 2025
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They were also celebrated by millions of ordinary Indians who have been repressed by Modi’s Hindu nationalist policies.—
HARTOSH SINGH BAL,
Foreign Affairs,
30 June 2025
Verb
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But if a real estate investment isn’t in the cards at the moment, settle for the next best thing by renting one of the many villas currently listed on Airbnb.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
14 July 2025
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Gary, though, did have one last piece of business to settle — with Ballard herself, stalking her in the dark of the cold case unit’s basement HQ.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
14 July 2025
Verb
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The jail call evidence comes as the defense trains its focus on quashing the prosecution's argument that Lawson is guilty of conspiring to murder Rogers.—
Killian Baarlaer,
The Courier-Journal,
2 July 2025
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But the protests were reignited in March, when Israel’s parliament passed a law remaking the country’s judiciary in what many see as part of Netanyahu’s plan to quash the convictions against him.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
26 June 2025
Verb
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Inside the airy courtroom, hushed spectators, including Combs’ mother and six adult children, sat on wooden benches.—
Marco della Cava,
USA Today,
3 July 2025
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Ominous guitar accompanies hopeful strings; Chatten's vocals range from breathy, hushed tones to intense speak-singing.—
Audrey Gibbs,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quell. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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