quell

1 of 2

verb

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

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
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.
Verb
Riley issued a public statement in an effort to quell swirling Butler trade rumors last month, insisting Miami would not move on from its best two-way player this year. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025 Recent fears about potential payroll disruptions due to budget delays were quelled by Robinson's assurance that a budget will be passed before the 15th, ensuring employees receive their paychecks. Eplunus Colvin, arkansasonline.com, 3 Jan. 2025 Newcomer Blake Cameron James plays a boy named Malik, whose family, cared for by single mother Dolores (Jurnee Smollett) finds their stability drastically altered by law enforcement’s brutal response to the occupants of the housing project as an ineffective attempt to quell rising gun violence. Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 25 Dec. 2024 But even for those not on the list, their absence hasn’t quelled alarm at a potential Patel tenure as FBI director. David Rohde, NBC News, 21 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for quell 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of quell was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near quell

Cite this Entry

“Quell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quell. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

quell

verb
ˈkwel
1
: to put down by force
quell a riot
2
: quiet entry 3
quell fears
queller noun

More from Merriam-Webster on quell

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!