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
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of quelled
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
And that kind of turned into a little thing, but that has all been dissipated and quelled.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 16 Mar. 2026
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, were killed when the military quelled the protests on June 3-4, 1989.
—ABC News, 10 Mar. 2026
Suspicion of a Kurdish insurgency, however, might not be so easily quelled, not only among Pahlavi’s supporters but across Iran’s political spectrum.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 4 Mar. 2026
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
And that kind of turned into a little thing, but that has all been dissipated and quelled.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 16 Mar. 2026
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, were killed when the military quelled the protests on June 3-4, 1989.
—ABC News, 10 Mar. 2026
Suspicion of a Kurdish insurgency, however, might not be so easily quelled, not only among Pahlavi’s supporters but across Iran’s political spectrum.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quelled
Verb
-
However, the ruthless King Saran (Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor) has suppressed magic users and enacts a rule of terror, which Zelie hopes to end in order to reunite Orisha’s clans.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The Maduro regime, having stolen the July 2024 presidential election and suppressed the democratic opposition by force, triggered a new wave of international sanctions that choked off oil revenues and sent the bolívar into free fall.—
Steve H. Hanke,
Fortune,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Lyonne shushed the staffer, got up and headed to the bathroom, according to Page Six.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Some shushed the crowds, urging them to be silent and reverent.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The siege, a success for Sulla, subdued the rebellious city back beneath the thumb of the Roman Republic.—
Taylor Mitchell Brown,
Scientific American,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Here, the spa is far smaller and subdued in design, although treatments are the same.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The mass protests have quieted.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The Western chimpanzees quieted all of a sudden.—
Nathan Rott,
NPR,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
With cleanup hitter Dillon Dingler at the plate, Crochet again fell behind 3-1 and left a four-seamer over the middle of the plate that Dingler crushed to center field for a three-run homer.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Edgecombe and the Sixers were crushed by the Celtics Sunday, 123-91, and now trail Boston 1-0 in the first-round best-of-seven-series.—
Tom Ignudo,
CBS News,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Carasso says he won’t be silenced.—
Ariella Noveck,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Voyager 2's own LECP instrument was silenced in March 2025.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Tensions spiked in 2016 when the government attempted to impose French in English-speaking regions’ schools and courts, igniting protests that security forces violently repressed.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Reforms often required strong executive power, largely at the expense of social stability and democratic legitimacy; protests against the IMF’s programs left scores dead as authorities repressed dissent.—
Sven van Mourik,
The Dial,
31 Mar. 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 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
