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
The serum itself is infused with niacinamide and Centella asiatica—which quell inflammation and dial down redness—as well as arnica and ash bark extract, which work together to bring down swelling.
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Jenny Berg, Allure, 26 Nov. 2024
They are often caught in the impossible position of appeasing demanding executives and quelling the concerns and needs of entry-level workers.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 24 Nov. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for quell 
Jenny Berg, Allure, 26 Nov. 2024
They are often caught in the impossible position of appeasing demanding executives and quelling the concerns and needs of entry-level workers.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 24 Nov. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for quell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quell
Verb
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Globally, demand in the sector remains subdued due to oversupplies in the European market as well as high inventory levels in China.Trefis Team, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
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The higher end of the treble is somewhat subdued and can get stepped on when the lower frequencies are busy.PCMAG, PCMAG, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Making space for safe exchange, discussion, free expression of thought is what is humane and should always be encouraged, not silenced.George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 24 Dec. 2024
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In the end, Houlihan helps silence Ian and protect the sisters.Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The government repressed religious dissent (in particular, Catholicism) while unconscionably investing in slavery and colonization.Bob Blaisdell, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Dec. 2024
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With Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain, Culkin pivots to a character who’s repressing his pain just as desperately but masks it with a life-of-the-tour-group energy that is both endearing and exhausting.Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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In the end, the Allies managed to quash Adolf Hitler’s last-ditch effort to win the war.Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Dec. 2024
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Advertisement The casualties occurred around three villages in Kursk, where Russia has for four months been trying to quash a Ukrainian incursion, the agency, known by its acronym GUR, said in a public post on the Telegram messaging app.Samya Kullab and Tara Copp, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Over the past few years, it’s been mostly impossible to see Bob Dylan perform anywhere in America besides dark, hushed theaters where ushers dive on anyone that dares to take to a phone for even a split second.Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 25 Dec. 2024
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Every night the lamb would cry, and be told to hush, for its bleats disturbed their sleep.Karen Zautyk, New York Daily News, 24 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near quell
Cite this Entry
“Quell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quell. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
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