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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quells
Verb
-
Researchers discovered that the worm—Schistosoma mansoni—suppresses neurons in the skin to evade detection in a mechanism likely developed to enhance its own survival.—
Hannah Millington,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Aug. 2025 -
Laboratory and field tests indicate the new structure suppresses pressure fluctuations by as much as 96%, promising a quieter, safer ride and fewer complaints from people, wildlife, and infrastructure operators living near future maglev corridors.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
But when that noise quiets, the brain doesn’t just go idle.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
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.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Proposition 50 almost completely silences minority California viewpoints in Congress until January 2033 – with no chance of changing any legislative outcomes.—
Tom Campbell,
Oc Register,
7 Sep. 2025
-
This cultural divide silences companies and delays progress, while all the while AI is amplifying the threat.—
Felicia Jackson,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
When the smoke settles (quite literally) and people return, their bodies suffer the consequences, and our hospitals have the evidence.—
Lahari Vuppaladhadiam,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
-
That settles into a spicy suede with cardamom and benzoin, before warming into tonka bean, amber, and musk.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
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
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
“Quells.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quells. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share