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
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
Demand social media accountability without silencing free speech.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 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
Ben & Jerry’s sued Unilever in 2024, accusing it of silencing its statements in support of Palestinians in the Gaza war.
—ABC News, 14 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
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
Emma Burrows, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
Demand social media accountability without silencing free speech.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 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
Ben & Jerry’s sued Unilever in 2024, accusing it of silencing its statements in support of Palestinians in the Gaza war.
—ABC News, 14 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
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
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
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The variable nobody can control Geopolitical uncertainty, especially the war in Iran, is raising volatility in rates and suppressing demand worldwide.—
Sara B. Hansen,
Denver Post,
2 May 2026
-
In many cases, survival required suppressing fear, sadness and even physical pain.—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Research has linked prolonged exposure to that level of ambient noise to elevated stress and anxiety, so by quieting that baseline sensory load, ANC creates the right environment for some calming music or a meditation app to do its job.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Apr. 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
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Skipping a baby shower or muting a pregnancy announcement on social media are reasonable ways to protect your own emotional wellbeing during a difficult season.—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Apr. 2026
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Scientists say this indicates that the medicines were muting the crustaceans' pain processing.—
Christopher Edwards,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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The defense was more than satisfactory in subduing the league’s top offense.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
19 Apr. 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 9 May. 2026.
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