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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of quell
The Tiger defense quelled a red-hot Commodore offense for most of the game, and on the other side, Mizzou made a pair of trips to the red zone.
—
Quentin Corpuel, Kansas City Star, 31 Oct. 2025
But the National Guard's presence does not only symbolically quell protest.
—Colleen Hamilton, Them., 30 Oct. 2025
Trump has deployed the national guard to cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland and Memphis to quell protests against stricter immigration enforcement.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
First, hotter temperatures seem to quell the virus, and the weather is getting cooler.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quell
Quentin Corpuel, Kansas City Star, 31 Oct. 2025
But the National Guard's presence does not only symbolically quell protest.
—Colleen Hamilton, Them., 30 Oct. 2025
Trump has deployed the national guard to cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland and Memphis to quell protests against stricter immigration enforcement.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
First, hotter temperatures seem to quell the virus, and the weather is getting cooler.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quell
Verb
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Nazism’s total domination politically and socially found an aesthetic counterpart in the visual reduction of bodies to things, ecstatically subdued before the hypnotic power of a leader, force, or sublime beauty.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
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Barack Obama also availed himself of caution, reluctance and NATO partners to use air power to subdue chaos on the ground in Libya.—
John Brummett,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In the clip, the then-6-year-old can be seen walking with his iPad to the next room and shushing everyone.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
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The View has a long history of guests receiving sustained standing ovations — and Goldberg attempting to shush rowdy audience members.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The lawsuit alleges that for more than a decade, beginning at least as early as January 2015, Pepsi and Walmart used their dominant positions in the beverage and grocery markets to suppress price competition.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
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The largest anti-government demonstrations to rock Iran in recent years intensified Friday night, fueling fears of growing fatalities as authorities battle to suppress the protests.—
Arsalan Shahla,
Fortune,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Do not let the voices of my courageous compatriots be silenced.—
Tucker Reals,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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Dan Piper, a teacher who spoke at the vigil, told those gathered that the federal officials are hoping to silence dissent.—
Laura Tillman,
Hartford Courant,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Instead, officials engaged in a vicious crusade to repress whoever dared challenge the outcome.—
Stephania Taladrid,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
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His name has been associated with police operations carried out in the context of protests, detentions, and crowd-control actions executed by the PNB, a force that since its creation has played a central role in repressing political dissent.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Hoover was much better in the second quarter and led TCU into the red zone, but the Horned Frogs had to settle for a 35-yard Nate McCashland field goal.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Nov. 2025
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Soika, a surgeon, unsuccessfully tried to book a rental car to get to Utah for a weekend trip before settling on an option that seemed straight out of Hollywood.—
JOSH FUNK,
Arkansas Online,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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This story has been updated to clarify that the judge has recommended the subpoena be quashed.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
6 Jan. 2026
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Another record-breaking elimination Just under the wire for a 2025 designation, in mid-December Brazil was validated by WHO for quashing transmission of HIV between mothers and children.—
Fran Kritz,
NPR,
30 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The air is hushed, the water glassy.—
Carrie Honaker,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Jan. 2026
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Mendoza hushed any critics in the Rose Bowl, providing both the stats and the subtle moments.—
The Athletic College Football Staff,
New York Times,
2 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quell. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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