quell
Americanverb (used with object)
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quells,
present (3rd person singular)
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quelled,
past participle, past
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quelling
present participle
verb
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to suppress or beat down (rebellion, disorder, etc); subdue
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to overcome or allay
to quell pain
to quell grief
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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quellsimple
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quellssimple
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have quelledperfect
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has quelledperfect
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am quellingprogressive
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are quellingprogressive
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is quellingprogressive
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have been quellingperfect progressive
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has been quellingperfect progressive
Past
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quelledsimple
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had quelledperfect
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was quellingprogressive
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were quellingprogressive
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had been quellingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of quell
First recorded before 900; Middle English quellen, Old English cwellan “to kill”; akin to Old Norse kvelja “to torment,” German quälen “to vex”; cf. kill 1
Explanation
Meaning to suppress or overcome, quell is what you have to do with nerves before a big test and fears before going skydiving. When it first came into existence, the verb quell actually meant “to murder.” That's a bit more serious than our modern definition, but you can use that old definition to help you imagine offing your worries or putting a permanent end to criticism. These days quell is often used to mean "pacify," as in the police quelling an angry mob or a mom quelling a kid's temper tantrum.
Vocabulary lists containing quell
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 2
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 7–11
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
That certainly doesn’t quell his competitive nature, however, and he’ll have more than one chance in his current role to see brother Christian up close.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
The prime minister's videos, intended to quell anger, have been turned into jokes and memes.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
Higher oil prices would boost inflation, and with it investors’ expectations that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates to try and quell price pressures.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026
While the country is almost paralyzed, the police still have the capacity to quell sporadic protests that have sprung up in recent months and make arrests, said Clemente Morgado, a Havana resident.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
Artemis tried to quell the excitement rising in his chest.
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
Speedman scans the perimeter as he considers his options and quickly quells any potential for this fictional L.A. spinoff.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2024
This interchange is how the brain quells, for instance, the knee-jerk use of rude language with the understanding that such responses can cause offense.
From Scientific American ● May 26, 2023
There is a history of federal courts finding that jurors’ names are public record, and reasoning that such openness quells potential public suspicions about the selection process.
From Washington Times ● Mar. 23, 2023
Strict conformity quells confusion and keeps everyone focused on the work.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 19, 2023
It blankets and quells me, and I regain my steady voice.
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
Microsoft posted a record $450 billion one-day surge in market value after its earnings quelled concerns that investments on data centers, chips and more would outpace the company’s ability to generate cash.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
U.S. stocks rose as fears of a return to full-blown war in Iran subsided, which brought down oil prices and quelled inflation expectations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
It quelled pressure from some of his unionist rivals and, as a political strategy to buy time, it paid off.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
It was after the screening, during an open Q&A, when Mojica’s mother quelled the artist’s fears in one fell swoop.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 30, 2026
“She's been grumpy today,” Laura said, coming back into the kitchen, Athena's crying quelled.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
U.S. stocks rose as fears about a return to full-blown war in Iran subsided, bringing down oil prices and quelling inflation expectations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
Cipriani’s suit alleges Shell was desperate for help in quelling negative stories about him.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 9, 2026
Khmara's appointment has gone some way in quelling fears about the SBU's future effectiveness.
From BBC ● Jan. 6, 2026
Central Asian countries can lower unemployment and poverty rates, quelling potential unrest among their swelling young populations.
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2025
He arrived back in the city in the middle of the afternoon, but went directly to his club, where he played a few hands of poker and dined, without successfully quelling his anxiety and impatience.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
