1
as in subduing
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 shushing
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 quelling
The Dalai Lama has been the key figure quelling violence when grassroots dissatisfaction has escalated into episodic uprisings in Tibet.
—
Tenzin Dorjee, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2025
The Interior Ministry report explicitly suggested the recognition of a Palestinian state as a means of quelling Islamic unrest, according to a translation from the Center for Security Policy.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 11 Aug. 2025
The system is expected to hook around a large plume of African dust that has been quelling hurricane development for the past several weeks, Fox Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross wrote on his blog, Hurricane Intel.
—David Schutz, Sun Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2025
Tenzin Dorjee, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2025
The Interior Ministry report explicitly suggested the recognition of a Palestinian state as a means of quelling Islamic unrest, according to a translation from the Center for Security Policy.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 11 Aug. 2025
The system is expected to hook around a large plume of African dust that has been quelling hurricane development for the past several weeks, Fox Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross wrote on his blog, Hurricane Intel.
—David Schutz, Sun Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quelling
Verb
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The Giants won in all kinds of encouraging ways while subduing the wild-card-leading Cubs in a 5-2 victory Tuesday night.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
27 Aug. 2025
-
The two also showed a demonstration of what a K9 takedown looks like, with Humphries acting as a target and K9 Bob subduing him.—
Richard Requena,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In this growing method, fruit trees are grown near particular companion plants that benefit fruit tree growth, such as pest-repelling flowers, soil-improving legumes, or weed-suppressing groundcovers.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Sep. 2025
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Practical strategies to keep anger in check Great leaders understand that emotional discipline is not about suppressing feelings but instead channeling them productively.—
Dr. Cynthia J. Young,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But instead of quieting interest in the case, the release of the memo has only left MAGA voices more insistent the administration release more information.—
Ashleigh Fields,
The Hill,
17 July 2025
Verb
-
Hamas’s response fluctuated between allowing discontent and repressing the demonstrations.—
Leila Seurat,
Foreign Affairs,
26 Aug. 2025
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Most of the international community rejects the idea that Ukraine is repressing Russian language and culture and says Russia launched its invasion under false pretenses.—
Freddie Clayton,
NBC news,
24 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
For this administration, silencing its critics is more important than anything else.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Aug. 2025
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But silencing these discussions come at a cost.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Jerry Jeudy makes far too much money to wreck possessions with two drops, one that killed a drive and another that resulted in a crushing interception.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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This is a big deal as the new process requires no crushing pressure or scorching heat.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Echo chambers can emerge, amplifying consensus while muting dissenting expertise.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
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The Shag Originated in the late 1960s and popularized in the 1970s, the shag cut is comprised of short, choppy layers around the face, muting the body of hair on the sides.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Produced from vines dating back to 1950, the 2002, 2005 and 2015 are stilling thriving.—
Paul Caputo,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quelling. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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