1
as in suppressing
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
immediately squelched any signs of rebellion
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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
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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As Charlotte explains, barely suppressing her resentment, Leroy is concerned that her commitment to the cause could stall his ascent at work.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
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The damage from Biden’s inner circle suppressing her achievements and letting negative narratives run wild was done.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In the clip, the then-6-year-old can be seen walking with his iPad to the next room and shushing everyone.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
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Booing begins, and then shushing, and then booing again.—
Matthew Shen Goodman,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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There are plenty of different approaches to quelling snoring, including nasal strips, side sleeping, weight loss and, for those with sleep apnea, a CPAP machine prescribed by a doctor.—
Ian Kerner,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
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Even as plenty of doctors have scrambled to address the flaws of the WHI and the benefits of HRT for quelling the symptoms of menopause, women have remained, understandably, deterred by the scary warning.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Dozens of pending lawsuits accuse churches of shielding predators, silencing victims and allowing abuse to fester unchecked.—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
30 Oct. 2025
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The British did not have legislation as all-silencing as this.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Giants won in all kinds of encouraging ways while subduing the wild-card-leading Cubs in a 5-2 victory Tuesday night.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
27 Aug. 2025
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The two also showed a demonstration of what a K9 takedown looks like, with Humphries acting as a target and K9 Bob subduing him.—
Richard Requena,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The newsroom union claims the change is throttling staff diversity and muting the magazine’s progressive political bent.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Nov. 2025
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And Democrats will remain the side fond of muting dissent.—
Newsweek Contributors,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This week is pushing you to speak up and stop repressing your truth.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
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Critics, though, have argued that these efforts are serving to distract from the country’s record of repressing free speech and dissent, as well as human rights violations, which have been widely reported.—
Marni Rose McFall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Blue Jays went on to stun the Dodgers that night, taking the first game 11-4 and quieting early speculation that they would be swept in four games by the defending champs.—
Paula Newton,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
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The Tresemmé Lamellar Gloss Finishing Oil is what stands between you and shampoo-ad levels of shine, locking in luster and quieting frizz with its mix of sunflower, coconut, and macadamia oils.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Squelching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squelching. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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