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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 quell
Thousands of security forces have poured into central Islamabad in an attempt to quell protests in support of Khan that have gripped the capital and its surrounding areas since Sunday.
—
Riazat Butt, Los Angeles Times, 26 Nov. 2024
No one has ever repeated as champion Kenya’s president reaffirms commitment to deploy a police force to Haiti to help quell gang violence
Sin el reemplazo del candidato Martinelli, el debate presidencial en Panama se centra en corrupcion
A Massachusetts town spent $600K on shore protection.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Nov. 2024
Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolfe of Wasserman, denied the allegation on Wednesday, hours after commissioner Rob Manfred also tried to quell the topic.
—Evan Drellich, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
The most recent time it was used was in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush after both city and state leaders asked for federal help to quell the L.A. riots.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for quell 
Riazat Butt, Los Angeles Times, 26 Nov. 2024
No one has ever repeated as champion Kenya’s president reaffirms commitment to deploy a police force to Haiti to help quell gang violence
Sin el reemplazo del candidato Martinelli, el debate presidencial en Panama se centra en corrupcion
A Massachusetts town spent $600K on shore protection.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Nov. 2024
Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolfe of Wasserman, denied the allegation on Wednesday, hours after commissioner Rob Manfred also tried to quell the topic.
—Evan Drellich, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
The most recent time it was used was in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush after both city and state leaders asked for federal help to quell the L.A. riots.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for quell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quell
Verb
-
Several said they were alarmed by him and some were thankful when Penny subdued him.Jennifer Peltz, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2024
-
The price of iron ore, which is Rio’s single largest product, accounting for two-thirds of Rio Tinto’s revenue, has remained subdued in 2024, though showing some improvement in the recent months.Trefis Team, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Back then, Mason was the kind of person who got excited about camera placement on a mountain to capture just the right shot as a downhill ski racer shushed past.Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Nov. 2024
-
Other players use this tactic too, including Djokovic’s friend Nick Kyrgios (on many occasions), Sebastian Korda at this year’s Italian Open in Rome, and Taylor Fritz, who shushed an entire stadium after beating Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech at Roland Garros in 2023.Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 13 July 2024
Verb
-
His beautiful, distant mother, played by the French-Argentinean actress Bérénice Bejo, treats these outbursts as insurrections to be suppressed.Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2024
-
Harry is doing his best to keep Dexter from killing people, though Dex acknowledges that slicing into cadavers and taking hunting trips aren’t really cutting it in terms of suppressing his urges.Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Willis quickly used that notoriety to claim the bans were part of a grand conspiracy to silence truth tellers like him from informing people about what was really happening in the world.David Gilbert, WIRED, 10 Dec. 2024
-
Grantees with innocent-sounding names like Good Information Inc. and Free Press seek mostly to silence other political and policy ideas.Scott Walter, Baltimore Sun, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Otherwise, all the factions would kill each other and the Sunnis would repress everyone else.Melik Kaylan, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
-
He was also tasked with organizing anti-West demonstrations and repressing all government dissent from 2019 onwards.Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
-
In recent years, programs such as grants to settle in Tuscan villages, and Mediterranean islands that sell homes for less than the price of a cup of coffee, have presented tempting opportunities for aspiring expats.Daniel de Visé, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024
-
In 2021, Prime, Reddy and one of Prime’s doctors agreed to pay $37.5 million to settle allegations that Prime paid the doctor kickbacks for patient referrals, among other allegations.Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Half-hearted Iranian attempts to intervene to help Assad with Iraqi militias were quashed by American air power.Melik Kaylan, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
-
One video produced by the PAC implied that President-elect Donald Trump would have supported using violence to quash the civil rights protests.Robert Schmad, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Matthews’ voice swung from gravelly to hushed in a simple, affecting tribute.Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 20 Oct. 2024
-
Throughout the first act, the auditorium was hushed.Tomas Weber, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near quell
Cite this Entry
“Quell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quell. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share