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
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 quelling
This potency can be a good thing for quelling inflammation—but also calls for caution.
—
Sarah Garone, Health, 9 Dec. 2025
But the sentiment — quelling a craving, fueling a fervor, feeding the psychic hunger of a fanbase famished for reasons to celebrate ostentatiously — is applicable more broadly, too.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 4 Dec. 2025
Now, however, Marcos’ government faces one of its greatest challenges in quelling public outcry, and his rivals are using the furor against him.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 19 Nov. 2025
Even as plenty of doctors have scrambled to address the flaws of the WHI and the benefits of HRT for quelling the symptoms of menopause, women have remained, understandably, deterred by the scary warning.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 10 Nov. 2025
Mann also had a steal and subsequent layup near the tail end of the first quarter, quelling any fears about his health after missing most of last season with a back issue.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2025
Ellis last week expanded her restraining order, requiring all federal agents with body cameras involved in quelling protests to have them on when encountering demonstrators.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 21 Oct. 2025
Phillies starters Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo did an excellent job quelling Ohtani in the NLDS, keeping him 0-for-6 with four strikeouts.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
Rather than quelling terrorist attacks, permanently suppressing Palestinian aspirations would likely fuel an endless insurgency.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 16 Sep. 2025
Sarah Garone, Health, 9 Dec. 2025
But the sentiment — quelling a craving, fueling a fervor, feeding the psychic hunger of a fanbase famished for reasons to celebrate ostentatiously — is applicable more broadly, too.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 4 Dec. 2025
Now, however, Marcos’ government faces one of its greatest challenges in quelling public outcry, and his rivals are using the furor against him.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 19 Nov. 2025
Even as plenty of doctors have scrambled to address the flaws of the WHI and the benefits of HRT for quelling the symptoms of menopause, women have remained, understandably, deterred by the scary warning.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 10 Nov. 2025
Mann also had a steal and subsequent layup near the tail end of the first quarter, quelling any fears about his health after missing most of last season with a back issue.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2025
Ellis last week expanded her restraining order, requiring all federal agents with body cameras involved in quelling protests to have them on when encountering demonstrators.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 21 Oct. 2025
Phillies starters Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo did an excellent job quelling Ohtani in the NLDS, keeping him 0-for-6 with four strikeouts.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
Rather than quelling terrorist attacks, permanently suppressing Palestinian aspirations would likely fuel an endless insurgency.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quelling
Verb
-
As the representative for the armed wing of a human empire, you're tasked with subduing these Lovecraftian abominations and securing a foothold for humanity on alien worlds.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
5 Jan. 2026
-
The past two months of mostly sideways churn within 3% of record highs for the S & P 500 has helped to rebalance the market, puncturing the aggressive sense of destiny around many AI plays, subduing some speculative misbehavior and allowing valuations to settle.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
20 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Top sleep aid for kids This extremely popular sound machine uses an authentic human voice to calm babies to sleep with a calming, shushing sound.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Kempe then put a gloved finger to his lips, shushing the sixth consecutive sellout crowd in Anaheim.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The nerves that Landfair had been suppressing only show as the interview winds down, letting out a relieved and shaky breath after answering the last question.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Outside the cell, the ATP is converted into adenosine, which acts on neurons — in this case, by exciting neurons that inhibit swimming and suppressing swim neurons.—
Ingrid Wickelgren,
Quanta Magazine,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Ball made eight of his nine 3-pointers after halftime, gleefully celebrating each one while quieting the crowd in his hometown.—
Janis Carr,
Oc Register,
16 Jan. 2026
-
The books also model subtler tactics for quieting the fawner’s social impulses.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
His name has been associated with police operations carried out in the context of protests, detentions, and crowd-control actions executed by the PNB, a force that since its creation has played a central role in repressing political dissent.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Despite these differences, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is resorting to a familiar playbook for repressing protests, blending a passing acknowledgement of his system’s shortcomings with maximum deflection and defiance.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But freedom of expression is a constant pursuit, as natural as breathing, and silencing it is an imperfect practice that exhausts the oppressor and energizes the oppressed.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
28 Jan. 2026
-
On Sunday, Alnylam, the gene-silencing company that notched one gigantic accomplishment after another over the past five years, set out a plan for the next five years built on yet more innovation and growth.—
Matthew Herper,
STAT,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Amid the disorder, the regime turned to a familiar playbook of crushing dissent.—
Mitchell McCluskey,
CNN Money,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Homeowners association fees for people living in condominiums or other multi-unit dwellings have been increasing year after year — doubling one year only to go up again the next — and the effect is crushing.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The two-year war that followed had a muting effect on deals between Israel and the UAE, as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza created a PR catastrophe for Israelis in the Gulf.—
Kelsey Warner,
semafor.com,
19 Jan. 2026
-
For much of the past year, neither side was willing to budge much from their respective stance, effectively muting any chance of a settlement.—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
1 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quelling. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
