1
as in suppresses
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 quiets
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 quells
While the presumption was always that Messi would renew with the Herons, the news quells any lingering anxiety.
—
Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Twenty years later, an adult Guinevere is building her ghostwriting career when her estranged artist brother announces an installation titled Mother, which quells disturbing revelations in Guinevere.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Twenty years later, an adult Guinevere is building her ghostwriting career when her estranged artist brother announces an installation titled Mother, which quells disturbing revelations in Guinevere.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quells
Verb
-
Anderson, who both wrote and directed the film, suppresses psychological complexity, creating characters who are little more than abstractions.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
7 Oct. 2025
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Lower Stress Chronic stress suppresses your immune response and can eventually lead to an increase in inflammation.—
Jocelyn Solis-Moreira,
Flow Space,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
That just kind of quiets everything else.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
-
As dusk falls, the Himalayas blush pink, and the village quiets—wrapped in mountain shadow, the hush broken only by distant chanting and wind.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Verb
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For those who are more into curves than angles, the Bialetti Moon takes all the functional elements of the moka stovetop espresso maker and subdues them with a rounded stainless steel silhouette.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That timing hasn’t been lost on the festival’s critics, who say the high-profile American comics are lending legitimacy to a government that represses dissent, jails activists and restricts free speech.—
Liam Reilly,
CNN Money,
2 Oct. 2025
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But outside of the ring, Christy hides and represses her lesbianism and winds up marrying her trainer Jim Martin (Ben Foster), who manipulates and physically abuses her.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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His death Friday morning just after midnight, silences an exemplary artist who performed weekly until earlier this summer.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Sep. 2025
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This not only silences ideas but also creates a culture where employees feel less valued.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Auburn’s red-zone defense has been strong, but its pass coverage from linebackers and safeties has been a weak point, potentially creating an area Missouri could exploit if quarterback Beau Pribula settles in early.—
Zach Sweet,
Kansas City Star,
17 Oct. 2025
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Sign up here and bet $5 on the MLB postseason, college football or NFL this weekend and get the bonus bets if your initial wager settles as a win.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The top itself is an eight-layer cloth construction that satisfyingly hushes the cabin when raised.—
Brett Berk,
Robb Report,
3 Sep. 2025
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Autumn hushes the Codrii forest, where mushrooms push through damp soil and the air smells of woodsmoke and moss.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Robinson is the favorite to start, which would mean Towns sliding over to power forward, which mutes some of his offensive superpowers.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
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The host mutes everyone upon entry.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quells.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quells. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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