1
as in to subdue
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
the National Guard was called in to help quell the late-night disturbances downtown
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Recent Examples of quell
Rather than quelling the controversy, Saada’s threat amplified it.
—
Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 27 May 2026
That terror and the presence of the Ku Klux Klan, which littered the streets with pamphlets amid the fallout of Padgett’s accusations, prompted the governor to call in the National Guard to quell the violence.
—Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 May 2026
Andrey Zvyagintsev, one of the most gifted Russian filmmakers of his generation, answers the question so decisively as to quell any knee-jerk remake fatigue.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 May 2026
As the various protest banners displayed at full time suggested, survival will do nothing to quell the anger or to soothe a mutinous atmosphere.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for quell
Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 27 May 2026
That terror and the presence of the Ku Klux Klan, which littered the streets with pamphlets amid the fallout of Padgett’s accusations, prompted the governor to call in the National Guard to quell the violence.
—Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 May 2026
Andrey Zvyagintsev, one of the most gifted Russian filmmakers of his generation, answers the question so decisively as to quell any knee-jerk remake fatigue.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 May 2026
As the various protest banners displayed at full time suggested, survival will do nothing to quell the anger or to soothe a mutinous atmosphere.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for quell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quell
Verb
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To even entertain a reality that absurd would require a faith in the American Dream blind enough to subdue the nightmare.—
Rodney Carmichael,
NPR,
3 June 2026
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Viewers have already seen glimpses of the premiere, which involves Aang and Katara subduing a sea serpent while guiding refugees across a treacherous path.—
Entertainment Weekly,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Wine country with kids in tow doesn’t have to mean a stressful afternoon of shushing and screen time.—
Lauren Schuster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 June 2026
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Turning to shush it, Adele saw Dean with his tongue in her mother’s mouth and his hand up under her minidress.—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Economists have cautioned that the US-Israeli war with Iran and the related oil and supply shock could suppress hiring activity in the United States.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
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His puck-moving play was completely suppressed in the offensive zone, too.—
Shayna Goldman,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Derron Donaldson, director of racquets at Baha Mar, echoes the sentiment, also reminding spectators to silence phones.—
Rachel Chang,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 June 2026
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The athleisure retailer reached a cooperation agreement with Wilson, adding two of his candidates to its board and silencing Wilson’s public criticism of the company for 18 months, writes Forbes senior contributor Pamela Danziger.—
Megan Poinski,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
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In Montecito, closet-envy is one of many examples of Deborah’s competitive nature, which the character is unable to repress while trying to scam fellow comedian, Cherry Kilpatrick.—
Rachel Elspeth Gross,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
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Either way, something is repressed in Eleanor that is not with Theodora.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
Verb
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The city of Aurora agreed to pay $15 million in November 2021 to settle a federal civil rights lawsuit brought by McClain's parents.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
5 June 2026
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McIntire, who settled in on the mound after giving up two home runs, proceeded to tie the game at 3-3 with a sacrifice fly.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 June 2026
Verb
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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pledged earlier this week that Democrats would launch a coordinated effort to quash it.—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
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Fulton County Board of Commissioners Chairman Robb Pitts told the Washington Examiner on Monday that officials filed a motion to quash the subpoena on May 4.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Sweeping views over Hyde Park and expert soundproofing that hushes those busy London street horns.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2026
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Tage Thompson’s voice was hushed when speaking to reporters.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quell. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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