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
-
Mulch suppresses weeds, retains moisture in the soil, and adds nutrients back to the soil, too.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
27 Sep. 2025
-
Tissue samples from Fern Franco’s remains, obtained by a search warrant, revealed the presence of both morphine, which suppresses respiration, along with the drug succinylcholine, a paralytic used to relax skeletal muscles as during intubation.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
24 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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
This not only silences ideas but also creates a culture where employees feel less valued.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But today, Don Swift settles all family business.—
Rolling Stone,
Rolling Stone,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Get a FanCash refund if your bet settles as a loss.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 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
-
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
-
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
-
The host mutes everyone upon entry.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The 27-year-old's extension extinguishes any remaining embers surrounding the possibility of the Mavericks trading him this offseason.—
Bobby Krivitsky,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quells.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quells. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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