1
as in to suppress
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
immediately squelched any signs of rebellion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of squelch
Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 1 Jan. 2023
So Secretary Rusk put a squelch on those missions.
—CBS News, 13 Oct. 2021
Joey Garrison, USA Today, 12 June 2025
Berry quickly changed his mind and held Crow-Armstrong up at third, leading to Crow-Armstrong being tagged out and squelching a potential rally against the game’s best pitcher.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for squelch
Verb
Finally, an electronic squelch.
—Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 1 Jan. 2023
So Secretary Rusk put a squelch on those missions.
—CBS News, 13 Oct. 2021
Noun
At the same time, Musk has enthusiastically applauded Trump's deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles to squelch protests that erupted over the administration's ICE raids.
—Joey Garrison, USA Today, 12 June 2025
Berry quickly changed his mind and held Crow-Armstrong up at third, leading to Crow-Armstrong being tagged out and squelching a potential rally against the game’s best pitcher.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for squelch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squelch
Verb
-
Trump is unsurprisingly attracted to this paradise for the ultra-wealthy, where money is speech, labor is suppressed, dissent is criminalized and a monarch holds all power.—
Sonali Kolhatkar,
Sun Sentinel,
29 June 2025
-
Fed up with the government’s inaction, a group of residents created Polish Smog Alert, an advocacy organization pushing for legislation to suppress the smog.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
Verb
-
For a start, the cheers from the nearby Andy Murray Arena are loud and booming, but so too is the exclusive balcony area hanging just to the side of the court, where people are sipping their wine or their Pimm’s and chatting loudly (the judge on court 1 has to shush them at one point).—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
20 June 2025
-
The crowd had just spent an entire overtime shushing each other.—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Noun
-
The bit was posting archival photos from Gen X’s formative years, together with wisecracks about how life was better/tougher/cooler/randier back then.—
Nick Paumgarten,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
-
And quite simply, the data does not back the wisecracks up.—
Theodore McDarrah,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
Verb
-
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell defended his department’s handling of recent protests, saying officers acted appropriately to quell unrest — pushing back against criticism about aggressive crowd control tactics used during demonstrations against President Trump’s immigration crackdown.—
Libor Jany,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2025
-
President Donald Trump just announced a ceasefire between the Middle Eastern countries—potentially quelling oil market fears of Iran’s plans to close the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway to global oil trade.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
23 June 2025
Verb
-
For Paul, the bout is another step in his attempt to silence the purists and reassert himself as more than a YouTube celebrity with gloves.—
Jad El Reda,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2025
-
Book bans, especially those silencing LGBTQ voices, communities of color, and authors of marginalized backgrounds, are sweeping the nation, sending a chilling message about whose stories deserve to be told.—
Linda Johnson,
New York Daily News,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
Whoa, bellows the retort, to the victor go the spoils.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2025
-
In between the more severe and serious moments of his testimony, Nash kept things light and occasionally answered questions with a snappy retort.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
28 May 2025
Verb
-
Many of these women, though seemingly silent or subdued, speak volumes through their emotions and inner turmoil.—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 June 2025
-
The overall market reaction to the attacks between the longtime regional foes has, admittedly, been fairly subdued since the strikes began late Thursday local time in New York.—
Paulina Likos,
CNBC,
18 June 2025
Verb
-
The consumer price index ticked up just 0.1% from April to May, the government said last week, a sign that price pressures are muted.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
25 June 2025
-
At first, Momo's response to the loss seemed muted.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Squelch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squelch. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share