1
as in shushing
to stop the noise or speech of
the instructor quickly silenced anyone who tried to interrupt we need to have a repairman come and silence that door alarm
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in suppressing
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
brutally silenced all political dissent in the country
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of silencing
Wembanyama missed seven shots from the floor, going 11 of 18 and silencing the crowd that at one point directed a vulgar chant his way.
—
Stephen Whyno, Twin Cities, 9 June 2026
The problem was that common bean plants are notoriously difficult to genetically modify, so the usual modern techniques like gene silencing were off the table.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 3 June 2026
The Spurs entered the year as long shots at +6500, but gradually shed that label, outperforming their regular-season metrics and silencing doubters throughout the postseason.
—Doug Kezirian, New York Times, 3 June 2026
The athleisure retailer reached a cooperation agreement with Wilson, adding two of his candidates to its board and silencing Wilson’s public criticism of the company for 18 months, writes Forbes senior contributor Pamela Danziger.
—Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Meanwhile, Avila-Siqueiros was silencing the Warner bats, allowing just four walks and an error in the first five innings.
—Kevin J. Farmer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2026
Self-silencing pain and allowing it to be silenced, however, had not served me well.
—Nami Mun, The Atlantic, 16 May 2026
In this brilliant late-career work, Morrison shows that the United States of America and Americans are constantly shaping and reshaping a complicated tale, and that silencing or erasing parts of it is futile.
—Time, 12 May 2026
Shea Theodore had a goal and an assist and Brayden McNabb scored a short-handed goal as the Golden Knights stormed to a 5-0 lead after two periods, silencing a sellout crowd in Orange County and erasing memories of their rough offensive outing in Game 2.
—ABC News, 9 May 2026
Stephen Whyno, Twin Cities, 9 June 2026
The problem was that common bean plants are notoriously difficult to genetically modify, so the usual modern techniques like gene silencing were off the table.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 3 June 2026
The Spurs entered the year as long shots at +6500, but gradually shed that label, outperforming their regular-season metrics and silencing doubters throughout the postseason.
—Doug Kezirian, New York Times, 3 June 2026
The athleisure retailer reached a cooperation agreement with Wilson, adding two of his candidates to its board and silencing Wilson’s public criticism of the company for 18 months, writes Forbes senior contributor Pamela Danziger.
—Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Meanwhile, Avila-Siqueiros was silencing the Warner bats, allowing just four walks and an error in the first five innings.
—Kevin J. Farmer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2026
Self-silencing pain and allowing it to be silenced, however, had not served me well.
—Nami Mun, The Atlantic, 16 May 2026
In this brilliant late-career work, Morrison shows that the United States of America and Americans are constantly shaping and reshaping a complicated tale, and that silencing or erasing parts of it is futile.
—Time, 12 May 2026
Shea Theodore had a goal and an assist and Brayden McNabb scored a short-handed goal as the Golden Knights stormed to a 5-0 lead after two periods, silencing a sellout crowd in Orange County and erasing memories of their rough offensive outing in Game 2.
—ABC News, 9 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for silencing
Verb
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Trae Young won Madison Square Garden’s undying enmity in the 2021 playoffs for the Atlanta Hawks, punctuating game-breaking shots by shushing the crowd or bowing to the fans and waving goodbye.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
-
Wine country with kids in tow doesn’t have to mean a stressful afternoon of shushing and screen time.—
Lauren Schuster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 June 2026
Verb
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But the country’s key tool for suppressing the pest — a facility that breeds sterile flies to halt reproduction of the parasite — isn’t slated to begin operating until November 2027.—
Ilena Peng,
Fortune,
13 June 2026
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The health care provider would then diagnose a player with Parkinson’s and, usually, issue a prescription for levodopa, a medicine that treats Parkinson’s by masking or suppressing symptoms.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
10 June 2026
Verb
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However, the Rams’ acquisition of Garrett puts a team that was firmly a Super Bowl favorite back in the conversation for a 2026 Super Bowl run, quieting the doubters who rose after the 2026 NFL Draft.—
Gladys Louise Tyler,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
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The company says the device supports sleep by lowering cortisol within minutes, slowing the heart, quieting racing thoughts and shifting users into parasympathetic mode.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Owens, who tried to reach third, was gunned down by left fielder Brendan Brock, quelling the early threat.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
7 June 2026
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Also quelling demand is China’s pivot toward producing chemicals from raw materials like coal instead of oil, according to analysts.—
Devika Krishna Kumar,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
Verb
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But the field has struggled to figure out a means of delivering RNA-muting molecules into organs and tissues beyond the liver, which has limited their reach.—
Elaine Chen,
STAT,
9 June 2026
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Historians have written about how the widespread fear and conformity of these periods reshaped American society in enduring ways, including the destruction of progressive political movements and both delaying and muting the Civil Rights Movement itself.—
Bruce Schneier,
The Conversation,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Viewers have already seen glimpses of the premiere, which involves Aang and Katara subduing a sea serpent while guiding refugees across a treacherous path.—
Entertainment Weekly,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 June 2026
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Officers then shot her with a Taser, subduing her enough to take her into custody, police said.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Verb
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There are a lot of ways to declutter out there—the pile method and the discernment method are two of them, and now, everyone’s hushing their house.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
28 Dec. 2025
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Unfortunately, the austerity and elegance of the downstairs dining room acts as a dampener, hushing the salad’s brashness and sapping much of the fun.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
14 Dec. 2025
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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Silencing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/silencing. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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