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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of quell
When to Consider Surgery In some cases, medication may not be sufficient to quell watery eyes.
—
Maxine Lipner, Verywell Health, 18 Mar. 2025
Killorn had quelled the Rangers momentum with a short-handed equalizer less than two minutes before New York reassumed control.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 29 Mar. 2025
Here and there, far from Meemaw’s grave, a few small trees attempted, unsuccessfully, to quell the rage of a Texas sun.
—Robert Moor, Outside Online, 26 Mar. 2025
And the Trump Administration hasn’t done much to quell fears.
—Nerdwallet, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quell
Maxine Lipner, Verywell Health, 18 Mar. 2025
Killorn had quelled the Rangers momentum with a short-handed equalizer less than two minutes before New York reassumed control.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 29 Mar. 2025
Here and there, far from Meemaw’s grave, a few small trees attempted, unsuccessfully, to quell the rage of a Texas sun.
—Robert Moor, Outside Online, 26 Mar. 2025
And the Trump Administration hasn’t done much to quell fears.
—Nerdwallet, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quell
Verb
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The clean, modern lines, subdued colors, abundant natural light, and open floor plan all checked out.—
Berit Thorkelson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Apr. 2025
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Looking ahead, Wolf reckoned that EMs can move higher if the U.S. dollar continues to weaken and the impact of tariffs on overall trade is subdued.—
Amala Balakrishner,
CNBC,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
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One day at the Scottish Open, a volunteer held up the quiet sign and shushed the crowd as Morikawa prepared to hit from the fairway.—
Brody Miller,
The Athletic,
6 Jan. 2025
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Fathers shushed babbling toddlers as their wives snuck out to change infants’ diapers.—
Carlos Nogueras Ramos,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Mar. 2025
Verb
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To tell the Blue Devils, basically, not to suppress their emotions.—
Brendan Marks,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
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Older, post-menopausal women are especially susceptible, since lower estrogen levels can lead to decreased levels of beneficial bacteria that suppress infection-causing bacteria.—
Alice Park,
TIME,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
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But he wasn’t deterred by the crown’s agenda to silence all critics.—
Emily Zarevich,
JSTOR Daily,
4 Apr. 2025
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For the past year and a half, our Arab, Palestinian, and Muslim community at Microsoft has been silenced, intimidated, harassed, and doxxed, with impunity from Microsoft.—
Jordan Novet,Hayden Field,
CNBC,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Neither film mentions the pandemic, but both show how a circle of moneyed, urban sophisticates represses feelings about death and anxiety.—
Armond White,
National Review,
2 Apr. 2025
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The woman has almost completely repressed them, revisiting them only at the very end of her life.—
Ian Johnson,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The team settled on a patient with SD Autism Spectrum disorder who had an ankle sprain but frustrated Dr. Langdon (Patrick Ball) with his endless questions.—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
10 Apr. 2025
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In October, the parties settled the lawsuit for $1.85 million.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Sheriffs from across the state urged the Senate to quash a bill that would prohibit state and local law enforcement from entering into agreements with ICE.—
Hannah Gaskill,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Mar. 2025
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That means restricting civil liberties, quashing dissent and undermining the rule of law.—
Jennifer Victor,
The Conversation,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The Golden State Warriors have extended a final chapter for their dynastic journey, while the Dallas Mavericks are hushing away fake mourners and apoplectic fans.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
The Athletic,
23 Feb. 2025
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Newsletter Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news When athletes line up at the start of a race, the crowd often hushes in anticipation until the quiet is broken by the crack of a starter pistol.—
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi,
Discover Magazine,
20 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quell. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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