QUELLED Synonyms: 77 Similar and Opposite Words

quelled

verb

past tense of quell

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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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 The quiet moments of the offseason were eventually quelled by the madness of a young locker room, on a team replete with potential. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026 Ossoff has repeatedly denied interest in a White House bid, but that hasn’t quelled the talk. — Jared Gans, The Hill, 14 Oct. 2026 The Chiefs perhaps could have quelled some of that if Reid had spoken in such detail sooner. — Kansas City Star, 12 Oct. 2026 Its brutal and ongoing crackdown on protests has quelled a public revolt. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026 Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever may have had their WNBA championship dreams quelled Thursday, but the star’s Nike Caitlin 1 signature sneaker story is just getting underway. — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 3 Oct. 2026 At the very least, a loss would have quelled any desire to inflict further consequences on Michigan. — Austin Meek, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 There were angels, of course, and superheroes — men and women who gave or endangered their lives to aid and/or rescue others and those who quelled the natural instinct to panic and managed to simply survive. — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026 Indeed, economic grievances prompted days of nationwide demonstrations in January – quelled only when security forces killed at least 7,000 people, and perhaps thousands more. — Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for quelled

Verb

The workers organized a strike, but their efforts were brutally suppressed.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
For 15 years multiple rounds of quantitative easing kept yields suppressed below 3% and often even close to zero, returns which are hardly competitive with stocks.

— Justin Zacks, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of suppressed

Verb

Mitchell shushed those who’d forgotten to mute and introduced John Solomon, an ally of hers who was helping prepare the speech.

— Doug Bock Clark, ProPublica, 28 Oct. 2026
They were repeatedly shushed instead as the Nittany Lions (3-3, 0-3) fell to 13-10 in their marquee event after failing to keep pace with a USC offense that averaged nearly eight yards per play through the first three quarters.

— ABC News, ABC News, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of shushed

Verb

Certainly, compared to Florence’s big-name stays where Medici levels of excess reign, La Réserve Firenze is more aesthetically subdued and intimate in scale, though no less luxurious.

— Matt Ortile, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2026
Throughout his catalog are reminders of Vince’s subdued and pointed wit.

— Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of subdued

Verb

Hundreds of people responsible for 73 million Americans’ health care quieted as conference room lights dimmed and Mehmet Oz’s face appeared on giant screens Thursday morning.

— O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 23 Oct. 2026
It’s been a tumultuous journey but coming to Atlanta this season has been the perfect move for the three-time All-Star, whose accomplishments this year have quieted many of her critics.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of quieted

Verb

Add 1 cup raw sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), and/or coarsely crushed raw nuts (such as walnuts, almonds, and/or hazelnuts) and stir to coat.

— Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Nov. 2026
And again, some millipedes can release defensive secretions that can irritate skin or stain surfaces if handled or crushed.

— Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of crushed

Verb

This amazing energy, the vitality, simply could not be repressed.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
Jeffrey Jarquín, 35, was taken directly from the deportation flight to Nicaragua’s notorious Modelo prison, where he had been held previously for participating in pro-democracy marches that were violently repressed by President Daniel Ortega.

— Ismael López, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of repressed

Verb

Rebecca’s hands stilled, and the girl stared at her grandmother, wide-eyed.

— Rachel Yoder, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2026
Both the Moody Mansion and the 1892 Bishop’s Palace are museums stilled in time and filled with the marks of late 19th-century splendor.

— Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 15 July 2026

Definition of stilled

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“Quelled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quelled. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of quelled

verb

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