1
as in suppressing
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
immediately squelched any signs of rebellion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shushing
to stop the noise or speech of
his irritated glare squelched any other potential objectors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of squelching
New Orleans remained comfortably in front from there, with Poole's virtually squelching any chance of a late Sixers comeback.
—
CBS News, 22 Feb. 2026
New Orleans remained comfortably in front from there, with Poole's virtually squelching any chance of a late Sixers comeback.
—ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026
Then, civic leaders and voters can openly debate the wisdom of squelching free speech and unfettered human inquiry.
—James Druckman, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
Whoever came up with the idea to merge a Planet Earth–style doc with the screeching score, squelching sounds, and jump scares of the horror genre, congratulations.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
In between times, there are long shots of the gingko, tree’s-eye views of what is happening on the ground and squelching closeups of germinating seeds – luscious and inescapably sensual.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
Wiley and her group trudged through the murky water in the morning, feet squelching in the muck.
—Jack Prator, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Aug. 2025
CBS News, 22 Feb. 2026
New Orleans remained comfortably in front from there, with Poole's virtually squelching any chance of a late Sixers comeback.
—ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026
Then, civic leaders and voters can openly debate the wisdom of squelching free speech and unfettered human inquiry.
—James Druckman, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
Whoever came up with the idea to merge a Planet Earth–style doc with the screeching score, squelching sounds, and jump scares of the horror genre, congratulations.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
In between times, there are long shots of the gingko, tree’s-eye views of what is happening on the ground and squelching closeups of germinating seeds – luscious and inescapably sensual.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
Wiley and her group trudged through the murky water in the morning, feet squelching in the muck.
—Jack Prator, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squelching
Verb
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The big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton, for example, uses ice-bath plunges to rehearse suppressing panic and practice self-calming.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
21 Feb. 2026
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But Vance’s false accusations at last year’s conference – that Europe is suppressing freedom of speech and democracy, and facing civilizational decline – are now enshrined in US national security strategy.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Levy sat on the floor, watching like a proud father and shushing whisperers.—
Jane Bua,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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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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And, perhaps more importantly, the number of units sold increased 3%, quelling fears that price-conscious consumers are pulling back on toy purchases.—
Sarah Whitten,
CNBC,
21 Feb. 2026
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In a statement broadcast by state TV, a security force known for quelling unrest accused terrorists of targeting military and law enforcement bases over the past two nights.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This is not about silencing disagreement.—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Russia has massively ramped up a campaign of silencing critics since launching its offensive on Ukraine in 2022.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 Feb. 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
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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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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
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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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His name has been associated with police operations carried out in the context of protests, detentions, and crowd-control actions executed by the PNB, a force that since its creation has played a central role in repressing political dissent.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
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Despite these differences, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is resorting to a familiar playbook for repressing protests, blending a passing acknowledgement of his system’s shortcomings with maximum deflection and defiance.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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Ball collided hard with Lee and both crumpled quickly to the floor, quieting the arena while many looked on anxiously.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Squelching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squelching. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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