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
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 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
-
There’s plenty to like about both veteran pitchers and reason to believe that competing in a home run-suppressing environment will allow their attributes to play up.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Foulk argued Barrett was suppressing evidence by preventing the state from presenting certain tax returns and Illinois Department of Revenue testimony.—
Addison Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
After once rising from her seat to scold a man recording the broadcast on his phone to shushing in-studio viewers during an interview with Zohran Mamdani, Whoopi Goldberg just wrote another chapter in her comical relationship with The View's studio audience.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Jan. 2026
-
The snow was shushing off the roof of the garage and down on the driveway.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
3 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
This potency can be a good thing for quelling inflammation—but also calls for caution.—
Sarah Garone,
Health,
9 Dec. 2025
-
But the sentiment — quelling a craving, fueling a fervor, feeding the psychic hunger of a fanbase famished for reasons to celebrate ostentatiously — is applicable more broadly, too.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
4 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
On Sunday, Alnylam, the gene-silencing company that notched one gigantic accomplishment after another over the past five years, set out a plan for the next five years built on yet more innovation and growth.—
Matthew Herper,
STAT,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Asked Friday if his remarkably consistent performance on a defense that at times ran hot-cold around him was his way of silencing his critics, Heyward shrugged.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
The past two months of mostly sideways churn within 3% of record highs for the S & P 500 has helped to rebalance the market, puncturing the aggressive sense of destiny around many AI plays, subduing some speculative misbehavior and allowing valuations to settle.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
20 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
For much of the past year, neither side was willing to budge much from their respective stance, effectively muting any chance of a settlement.—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
1 Dec. 2025
-
The shell has enough shape to ease pressure on bony spots of the foot, and the liner offers just enough cushion to keep toes warm and circulation flowing, without muting feedback.—
Jenny Wiegand,
Outside,
13 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
The books also model subtler tactics for quieting the fawner’s social impulses.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Dave Chappelle – Live July 14, 2023 Comedy at this scale functions strangely — a stadium quieting itself to hear one person think out loud.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Squelching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squelching. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
