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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quelling
Verb
-
Ice protects fish eggs by suppressing winds and waves that can stir up the sediment, reducing the number of fish that hatch in the spring.—
Caitlin Looby,
Journal Sentinel,
23 Dec. 2024 -
His approach promises a more collaborative regulatory framework, fostering innovation rather than suppressing it.—
Leeor Shimron,
Forbes,
23 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The lawsuit says San Diego Central Jail staff have routinely violated the facility’s policies by ignoring or muting intercom calls.—
Julia Marnin,
Sacramento Bee,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Philadelphia, however, never allowed this Super Bowl — a rematch from two years earlier — to ever get close, muting Mahomes' effectiveness from the opening drive.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC News,
10 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
The Vikings, settling in the late eighth century, found the islands covered in prehistoric sites.—
Peter Ross,
Smithsonian Magazine,
8 Jan. 2025
-
The evacuation comes on the heels of Affleck settling his divorce from Jennifer Lopez on Monday.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
8 Jan. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Quelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quelling. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share