quell

1 of 2

verb

ˈkwel 

quelled; quelling; quells

transitive verb

1

: to thoroughly overwhelm and reduce to submission or passivity

quell a riot

2

: quiet, pacify

quell fears

queller noun

quell

2 of 2

noun

1

obsolete : slaughter

2

archaic : the power of quelling

Synonyms

Verb

• clamp down (on)
• crack down (on)
• crush
• put down
• quash
• repress
• silence
• slap down
• snuff (out)
• squash
• squelch
• subdue
• suppress

Examples of quell in a Sentence

Verb

the National Guard was called in to help quell the late-night disturbances downtown

the principal held up her hand to quell the students so they could hear the urgent announcement

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

In June 2020, Willis demanded that Trump stop using Village People's music after the then-president threatened military action to quell protests following the police killing of George Floyd. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024

And in case anyone thinks its suppressions are the stuff of the past, the emergence of far-right leaders around the Western world in the past few years quickly quells the fantasy. —Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2024

But a righteous sense that her peers were failing to address the experience of having a child did not quell her anxiety about being the one to do so. —Alice Gregory, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024

No family bickering is quelled faster than a movie night. —Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 29 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, to kill, quell, from Old English cwellan to kill; akin to Old High German quellen to torture, kill, quāla torment, Lithuanian gelti to hurt

Noun

Middle English, from quellen to kill

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

quell

verb

ˈkwel

1

: to put down by force

quell a riot

2

: quiet entry 3

quell fears

queller noun