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
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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
Government forces brought reinforcements into Suqaylabiyah, quelling the violence.
—
Omar Albam, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
In December, the Mouse House pledged to invest $1 billion in OpenAI and entered a three-year licensing agreement for allowing over 200 Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars characters’ likenesses to be used in Sora, quelling some of the text-to-video app’s brushups with copyright law.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
Trump and Republicans last year aggressively ramped up policies favorable to fossil fuels after romping to an electoral victory in 2024 on a promise to lower the cost of living, including by quelling gas prices.
—Garrett Downs, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2026
Sales of the iPhone have also been instrumental in quelling Wall Street’s concerns about where the company stands in the AI race.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 2 Mar. 2026
Some of Altman’s and OpenAI’s social media push over the weekend seemed aimed at quelling concerns among the company’s own employees over the Pentagon contract.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2026
In a statement broadcast by state TV, a security force known for quelling unrest accused terrorists of targeting military and law enforcement bases over the past two nights.
—Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 10 Jan. 2026
This potency can be a good thing for quelling inflammation—but also calls for caution.
—Sarah Garone, Health, 9 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
Omar Albam, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
In December, the Mouse House pledged to invest $1 billion in OpenAI and entered a three-year licensing agreement for allowing over 200 Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars characters’ likenesses to be used in Sora, quelling some of the text-to-video app’s brushups with copyright law.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
Trump and Republicans last year aggressively ramped up policies favorable to fossil fuels after romping to an electoral victory in 2024 on a promise to lower the cost of living, including by quelling gas prices.
—Garrett Downs, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2026
Sales of the iPhone have also been instrumental in quelling Wall Street’s concerns about where the company stands in the AI race.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 2 Mar. 2026
Some of Altman’s and OpenAI’s social media push over the weekend seemed aimed at quelling concerns among the company’s own employees over the Pentagon contract.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2026
In a statement broadcast by state TV, a security force known for quelling unrest accused terrorists of targeting military and law enforcement bases over the past two nights.
—Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 10 Jan. 2026
This potency can be a good thing for quelling inflammation—but also calls for caution.
—Sarah Garone, Health, 9 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quelling
Verb
-
Trump thought the Secret Service did an excellent job subduing the gunman but the White House is reviewing security for major events for the country's 250th anniversary.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The defense was more than satisfactory in subduing the league’s top offense.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Levy sat on the floor, watching like a proud father and shushing whisperers.—
Jane Bua,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Belarus, Bahrain, and Pakistan round out the top five, with all of them largely suppressing tools like VPNs and secure messaging apps that could allow people to coordinate without being surveilled by national authorities.—
Alan Henry,
PC Magazine,
8 May 2026
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Contraceptive pills, hormonal IUDs, birth-control implants, and Plan B all work by suppressing ovulation.—
Andréa Becker,
The Atlantic,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
Search revenue grew 17% year-over-year in the fourth quarter of 2025, quieting concerns over AI’s cannibalizing Google’s core business, and the company crossed $400 billion in annual revenue for the first time.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
6 May 2026
-
The alarms go off, the two get locked in the entry hall, and as Emma panics, Charlie rushes over to kiss her, quieting her fear.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Murillo-Ortega dictatorship has been accused of repressing the Nicaraguan people — especially Catholic and LGBTQ citizens.—
Jake Shore,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
-
People fed up with rolling blackouts have staged sporadic protests in recent days, banging pots and shouting slogans against the government, rare demonstrations in a country known for repressing dissent.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Activists refuse to flee despite threats, saying surrendering to fear would play into Russia’s strategy of silencing opposition both at home and abroad.—
Emma Burrows,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
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Demand social media accountability without silencing free speech.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Verb
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That includes physicists at the University of Manchester, who were intrigued by the difference between crushing an empty soda can versus one that is full of liquid.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
2 May 2026
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Often, amid the scramble of a breaking story or a crushing deadline, a cool, smiling Chardy would shrug and utter the mantra that came to define him to his Herald colleagues.—
Andres Viglucci,
Miami Herald,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Skipping a baby shower or muting a pregnancy announcement on social media are reasonable ways to protect your own emotional wellbeing during a difficult season.—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Apr. 2026
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Scientists say this indicates that the medicines were muting the crustaceans' pain processing.—
Christopher Edwards,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quelling. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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