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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of silencing
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
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
The justices recognized that Colorado had crossed a constitutional line by favoring one set of ideas while silencing another.
—Jeffrey S. Trimbath, Baltimore Sun, 20 Apr. 2026
Instead of silencing the public and turning them away, Democrats should stay and do the job they were elected to do.
—Kaitlin McCallum, Hartford Courant, 9 Mar. 2026
Simmons said Tarrant families are tired of O’Hare’s bullying, silencing and antics.
—Rachel Royster
march 5, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Mar. 2026
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
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
The justices recognized that Colorado had crossed a constitutional line by favoring one set of ideas while silencing another.
—Jeffrey S. Trimbath, Baltimore Sun, 20 Apr. 2026
Instead of silencing the public and turning them away, Democrats should stay and do the job they were elected to do.
—Kaitlin McCallum, Hartford Courant, 9 Mar. 2026
Simmons said Tarrant families are tired of O’Hare’s bullying, silencing and antics.
—Rachel Royster
march 5, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for silencing
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
-
Identifying and naming my jealousy has done far more for me than suppressing it ever did.—
Meehika Barua,
Time,
29 May 2026
-
The platform then identifies what is suppressing that number and maps a concrete path to close it, whether through negotiation positioning, skill prioritization or career moves that maximize earning trajectory.—
Ascend Agency,
Chicago Tribune,
27 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
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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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And then there’s a man falling from a building, smoke bombs, and an army quelling protesters.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
27 May 2026
-
After Congress passed a law lifting restrictions on the army’s role in quelling civil unrest late Tuesday, Paz now has the constitutional authority to invoke this power.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
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
-
There are additional buttons for pairing via Bluetooth and muting the microphone.—
Christian de Looper,
PC Magazine,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
Verb
-
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
-
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 4 Jun. 2026.
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