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 manifesto will also do little to quell claims of party connections to Russia.
—
Sebastian Shukla, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026
The England captain moved to quell speculation that he and the coach are not aligned anymore after seemingly moving in contrasting directions during the 4-1 defeat by Australia.
—Paul Newman, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2026
Such assurances are unlikely to quell the community’s decades-long experience with polluted runoff, however, and small farmers say that runoff could also present a food safety problem and threaten to set back years of organic farming practices.
—Thomas Heaton, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Speakers sought to quell those concerns.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quell
Sebastian Shukla, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026
The England captain moved to quell speculation that he and the coach are not aligned anymore after seemingly moving in contrasting directions during the 4-1 defeat by Australia.
—Paul Newman, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2026
Such assurances are unlikely to quell the community’s decades-long experience with polluted runoff, however, and small farmers say that runoff could also present a food safety problem and threaten to set back years of organic farming practices.
—Thomas Heaton, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Speakers sought to quell those concerns.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for quell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quell
Verb
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Two sources described the evening to Variety as subdued.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
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Both would like to subdue Hezbollah and transform it into a relatively normal Lebanese political party.—
Hussein Ibish,
The Atlantic,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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To the point where Reid shushed him down at times.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
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Lyonne shushed the staffer, got up and headed to the bathroom, according to Page Six.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Fungicides, for instance, are used to suppress disease-causing pathogens like blights and leaf spots, but might also impact beneficial microbes that live in flowers.—
Miri Talabac,
Baltimore Sun,
28 Apr. 2026
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Researchers from the University of Bristol in England and the University at Buffalo in New York found that people actively trying to suppress food cravings were more likely to spend time watching indulgent food content online — yet ended up eating less of it afterward.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Kapanen silenced the raucous sellout crowd at Honda Center 38 seconds after the opening faceoff with his fourth goal in four games.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
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The country was once very free online, remarkable given President Vladimir Putin’s autocratic rule, but more recently access to global messaging apps has been restricted and the internet has been completely shut down at times as Moscow has sought to silence criticism.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Murillo-Ortega dictatorship has been accused of repressing the Nicaraguan people — especially Catholic and LGBTQ citizens.—
Jake Shore,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
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Dispatches Evening Read Cubans’ Despair By Gisela Salim-Peyer Cubans for decades have been buffeted by great powers, repressed by their own government, crushed by economic crises, and paraded as the victims of a succession of sanctions imposed by the White House.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Let what surfaces settle before making your next move.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
-
Moses could put his real game face on and settle into his pre-race routine—even if a bit rushed—to get Pal in the zone, and then send him off into the Valley of Roses to pick up his jockey, then on to the starting gate.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The probe had been crippled by a federal judge's ruling quashing subpoenas her office issued to the Federal Reserve related to a multi-billion-dollar renovation of its headquarters in Washington.—
Sean Conlon,Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2026
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Thousands of people, including many students, were arrested as Iranian authorities launched a brutal crackdown to quash massive anti-government protests early this year, and some have already been executed.—
April 21,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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While most were silent, the few who traded muted pleasantries hushed as the homeowners of the Silver Court Trailer Park commenced their meeting.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
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Inside the main museum, the galleries are hushed and sunlit, the light filtered through Renzo Piano’s famous roof.—
Carrie Honaker,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quell. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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