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
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
-
That melatonin your brain just started producing gets suppressed again immediately.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
-
That means speech around controversial issues, diet and fitness, mental health topics, sexuality, and much more will be suppressed.—
Elizabeth Nolan Brown,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Some shushed the crowds, urging them to be silent and reverent.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Jena asked, for which she was shushed), that was spotted and strong enough to kill a man.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Betts subdued the momentum with a block on Booker’s layup attempt with 20 seconds left, and Rice then made two free throws, sending Close’s crew into the title game.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The Melbourne crowd was subdued.—
Michael Bailey,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Purdue withstood an early push from Arizona and quieted the large contingent of Wildcats fans with a strong finish to the first half.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Yet, for now, the guns have quieted.—
Noo Saro-Wiwa,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The tomato sauce is hand-crushed from a blend of tomatoes, herbs are grown in a garden behind the restaurant, and the cheese is shredded fresh daily.—
Tristan Graziano,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The one eating the pretzels ate her last pretzel, then crushed the little metallic bag in her fist.—
Catherine Lacey,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Your voice was never silenced, you story never forgotten, and your life will always mean more than the tragedy that took you.—
April 8,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
If anyone doubted the region’s prominence in the sport, Betts says the naysayers have been silenced.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Iran, where major protests in January were brutally repressed, has between 50% and 60% under 30.—
John Rennie Short,
The Conversation,
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 9 Apr. 2026.
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