1
as in suppressing
to put a stop to (something) by the use of force
immediately squelched any signs of rebellion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shushing
to stop the noise or speech of
his irritated glare squelched any other potential objectors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of squelching
Then, civic leaders and voters can openly debate the wisdom of squelching free speech and unfettered human inquiry.
—
James Druckman, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
Whoever came up with the idea to merge a Planet Earth–style doc with the screeching score, squelching sounds, and jump scares of the horror genre, congratulations.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
In between times, there are long shots of the gingko, tree’s-eye views of what is happening on the ground and squelching closeups of germinating seeds – luscious and inescapably sensual.
—Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
Wiley and her group trudged through the murky water in the morning, feet squelching in the muck.
—Jack Prator, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squelching
Verb
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There’s plenty to like about both veteran pitchers and reason to believe that competing in a home run-suppressing environment will allow their attributes to play up.—
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Foulk argued Barrett was suppressing evidence by preventing the state from presenting certain tax returns and Illinois Department of Revenue testimony.—
Verb
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After once rising from her seat to scold a man recording the broadcast on his phone to shushing in-studio viewers during an interview with Zohran Mamdani, Whoopi Goldberg just wrote another chapter in her comical relationship with The View's studio audience.—
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The snow was shushing off the roof of the garage and down on the driveway.—
Verb
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This potency can be a good thing for quelling inflammation—but also calls for caution.—
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But the sentiment — quelling a craving, fueling a fervor, feeding the psychic hunger of a fanbase famished for reasons to celebrate ostentatiously — is applicable more broadly, too.—
Verb
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Trump’s immigration policies don’t make sense as a pro-worker agenda, but do make sense as a way of silencing dissent and keeping out nonwhite immigrants.—
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Students have been instructed to continue sheltering in place until further notice, locking doors and silencing phones.—
Verb
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As the representative for the armed wing of a human empire, you're tasked with subduing these Lovecraftian abominations and securing a foothold for humanity on alien worlds.—
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The past two months of mostly sideways churn within 3% of record highs for the S & P 500 has helped to rebalance the market, puncturing the aggressive sense of destiny around many AI plays, subduing some speculative misbehavior and allowing valuations to settle.—
Verb
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For much of the past year, neither side was willing to budge much from their respective stance, effectively muting any chance of a settlement.—
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The shell has enough shape to ease pressure on bony spots of the foot, and the liner offers just enough cushion to keep toes warm and circulation flowing, without muting feedback.—
Verb
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This week is pushing you to speak up and stop repressing your truth.—
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Critics, though, have argued that these efforts are serving to distract from the country’s record of repressing free speech and dissent, as well as human rights violations, which have been widely reported.—
Verb
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Dave Chappelle – Live July 14, 2023 Comedy at this scale functions strangely — a stadium quieting itself to hear one person think out loud.—
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Gilma Pereda was having trouble quieting her brain.—
Cite this Entry
“Squelching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squelching. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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