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
As war descended on Iran, the regime once again cut off internet and communications across the country, controlling its people and silencing their messages of resilience.
—
ABC News, 15 Mar. 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
The city put out a news release naming her and accusing her of endangering lives, disrupting civic engagement, silencing residents, intimidating, and interfering with democracy.
—Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 28 Feb. 2026
His sentence was the longest punishment brought to date since China imposed the national security law in 2020, essentially silencing Hong Kong's dissent.
—CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
This is not about silencing disagreement.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 19 Feb. 2026
Instead, activists say, officials have moved to censor discussion of the issue, blocking searches and silencing those who have tried to warn women or press for action.
—New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
But freedom of expression is a constant pursuit, as natural as breathing, and silencing it is an imperfect practice that exhausts the oppressor and energizes the oppressed.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2026
ABC News, 15 Mar. 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
The city put out a news release naming her and accusing her of endangering lives, disrupting civic engagement, silencing residents, intimidating, and interfering with democracy.
—Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 28 Feb. 2026
His sentence was the longest punishment brought to date since China imposed the national security law in 2020, essentially silencing Hong Kong's dissent.
—CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
This is not about silencing disagreement.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 19 Feb. 2026
Instead, activists say, officials have moved to censor discussion of the issue, blocking searches and silencing those who have tried to warn women or press for action.
—New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
But freedom of expression is a constant pursuit, as natural as breathing, and silencing it is an imperfect practice that exhausts the oppressor and energizes the oppressed.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 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
-
Once the expiry passes, the forces suppressing volatility will recede — leaving macroeconomics and geopolitics firmly back in control.—
Sidhartha Shukla,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The TriForce 40mm drivers deliver a dynamic listening experience with exceptional highs and deep lows, while the detachable HyperClear Cardioid mic ensures your voice is crystal clear by suppressing background noise.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
One of the key lessons UConn’s veterans took from last year’s championship run was the importance of focus, of quieting the noise that surrounds the bracket and the program’s unmatched legacy of success.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Kimmel quotes from one popular manual, published in 1916, that advised quieting a crying baby by flipping it over and administering a vigorous spanking.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Government forces brought reinforcements into Suqaylabiyah, quelling the violence.—
Omar Albam,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
-
In December, the Mouse House pledged to invest $1 billion in OpenAI and entered a three-year licensing agreement for allowing over 200 Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars characters’ likenesses to be used in Sora, quelling some of the text-to-video app’s brushups with copyright law.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
So for anyone who’s struggling to create that distance, Jeter suggests starting small and committing to just one month of no direct communication—along with blocking or muting them online.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The two-year war that followed had a muting effect on deals between Israel and the UAE, as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza created a PR catastrophe for Israelis in the Gulf.—
Kelsey Warner,
semafor.com,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Multiple officers were involved in subduing Guity and placing him in handcuffs, police said.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
-
As the representative for the armed wing of a human empire, you're tasked with subduing these Lovecraftian abominations and securing a foothold for humanity on alien worlds.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
5 Jan. 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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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
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The White House imposed sanctions on Larijani in January for his role in repressing nationwide protests in the country, which saw thousands killed in the violent government crackdown, rights group say.—
Yarden Segev,
NBC news,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Silencing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/silencing. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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