1
as in suppresses
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
2
as in quiets
to stop the noise or speech of
the principal held up her hand to quell the students so they could hear the urgent announcement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example 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 quells
While the presumption was always that Messi would renew with the Herons, the news quells any lingering anxiety.
—
Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Twenty years later, an adult Guinevere is building her ghostwriting career when her estranged artist brother announces an installation titled Mother, which quells disturbing revelations in Guinevere.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quells
Verb
-
When enforcement actions sweep through a community, fear suppresses economic activity almost overnight.—
-
Plus, the blue light our devices emit suppresses melatonin, the hormone connected to sleep regulation.—
Verb
-
There are birds, their songs and calls rising to the surface when the traffic quiets.—
-
There is something about using my hands that helps calm my nerves and quiets my mind.—
Verb
-
Royd subdues and binds her before taking off to restore the power.—
-
For those who are more into curves than angles, the Bialetti Moon takes all the functional elements of the moka stovetop espresso maker and subdues them with a rounded stainless steel silhouette.—
Verb
-
That timing hasn’t been lost on the festival’s critics, who say the high-profile American comics are lending legitimacy to a government that represses dissent, jails activists and restricts free speech.—
-
But outside of the ring, Christy hides and represses her lesbianism and winds up marrying her trainer Jim Martin (Ben Foster), who manipulates and physically abuses her.—
Verb
-
In Cuba, where vibrant streets hide daily struggles, the government silences its people and spreads trouble worldwide.—
-
Cutting them off not only silences crucial perspectives but also creates a long-term deficit in institutional knowledge, breaking the chain of skills that develops as employees grow within a company.—
Verb
-
After his death, Pine settles into a requisite life in London as Alex Goodwin, a member of an unexciting intelligence unit called the Night Owls.—
-
Through meditation, the mind naturally relaxes, settles into the present moment, and grants us access to our consciousness and our own innate intelligence.—
Verb
-
The top itself is an eight-layer cloth construction that satisfyingly hushes the cabin when raised.—
-
Autumn hushes the Codrii forest, where mushrooms push through damp soil and the air smells of woodsmoke and moss.—
Verb
-
Robinson is the favorite to start, which would mean Towns sliding over to power forward, which mutes some of his offensive superpowers.—
-
The host mutes everyone upon entry.—
Cite this Entry
“Quells.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quells. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share