1
as in suppressed
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shushed
to stop the noise or speech of
the principal held up her hand to quell the students so they could hear the urgent announcement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of quelled
Abreu quelled the inning, however, striking out Dylan Beavers and Coby Mayo swinging at sliders.
—
Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 30 Apr. 2026
Anxiety quelled, the party starts back up, with Bambaataa spinning a record by James Brown.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
What could not be as easily quelled were the puns.
—ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
Redick shouted out Bronny James for his efforts against Indiana after the game, lauding his defensive intensity – often being switched onto Pacers All-Star forward Pascal Siakam, and holding his own – along with a late mid-range jumper that quelled concerns of a once-improbable Indiana comeback.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026
The shooter killed an instructor and wounded two others before the ROTC cadets attacked him and quelled the threat, showing incredible bravery in the face of danger.
—Nicole Russell, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
Turns out their insatiable desire for drama and noise has yet to be quelled, which means their upcoming batch of concerts will be as entrancing as ever.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026
But Jimenez quelled that in the 76’ to break the scoreless tie.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2026
Indigenous resistance in the Perth region was quelled in 1834 only after an intense and bloody confrontation known as the Pinjarra Massacre.
—Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026
Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 30 Apr. 2026
Anxiety quelled, the party starts back up, with Bambaataa spinning a record by James Brown.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
What could not be as easily quelled were the puns.
—ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
Redick shouted out Bronny James for his efforts against Indiana after the game, lauding his defensive intensity – often being switched onto Pacers All-Star forward Pascal Siakam, and holding his own – along with a late mid-range jumper that quelled concerns of a once-improbable Indiana comeback.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026
The shooter killed an instructor and wounded two others before the ROTC cadets attacked him and quelled the threat, showing incredible bravery in the face of danger.
—Nicole Russell, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
Turns out their insatiable desire for drama and noise has yet to be quelled, which means their upcoming batch of concerts will be as entrancing as ever.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026
But Jimenez quelled that in the 76’ to break the scoreless tie.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2026
Indigenous resistance in the Perth region was quelled in 1834 only after an intense and bloody confrontation known as the Pinjarra Massacre.
—Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quelled
Verb
-
This not only suppressed uneven vertical phase distribution but also improved film uniformity across the devices.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
-
Ukraine's air force said in a post to Telegram that Russia launched 108 drones and three missiles into the country overnight, of which 89 drones were intercepted or suppressed.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
To the point where Reid shushed him down at times.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Lyonne shushed the staffer, got up and headed to the bathroom, according to Page Six.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On the night the Rams drafted Simpson, general manager Les Snead and coach Sean McVay were uncharacteristically subdued during a news conference.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
-
What the experts say Hiring has picked up while layoffs remain relatively subdued, with little evidence so far that the Iran war is affecting the labor market.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
So, while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has quieted some rebellious voices by campaigning for aggressively redrawn congressional maps, Democrats should be aware of how dogged their opponents are willing to get.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
6 May 2026
-
But a 115-96 defeat in Game 4 on Sunday night in Houston quieted that talk.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Shaw’s goals, an equalizer and a go-ahead winner to send City to the final at Wembley Stadium, crushed an already dismal Chelsea spirit.—
Melanie Anzidei,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
-
Shake good and hard for eight to 10 seconds, strain into a rocks or tall glass onto cracked or crushed ice, and garnish with a lime wheel, wedge, or peel.—
Jason O'Bryan,
Robb Report,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
The country will be safer when scientific institutions can do their work free from political interference, and less safe every time they are silenced to serve those in power.—
A.J. Russo,
Baltimore Sun,
13 May 2026
-
The promises of jobs and tax money didn’t soothe the vocal crowd that had to be silenced several times by Gary Board of Zoning Appeals president Rinzer Williams.—
Carole Carlson,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Even before the war began, hardship and inflation provoked nationwide protests that were brutally repressed.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
-
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
-
My limbs stilled and grew heavy in the heat, but Alice jiggled her knees up and down, bursting out with short spurts of conversation that weighed against the beauty of our silence.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Hostilities were temporarily stilled by a ceasefire, but fighting resumed in early December.—
John Vink,
The Dial,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quelled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quelled. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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