quell
Americanverb
-
to suppress or beat down (rebellion, disorder, etc); subdue
-
to overcome or allay
to quell pain
to quell grief
Other Word Forms
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.
It focuses on Haymitch Abernathy’s plight during the 50th Hunger Games, known as the Second Quarter Quell, when he became District 12’s second victor.
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2025
Appeared in the May 24, 2024, print edition as 'Macron Tries to Quell New Caledonia Riots'.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2024
UK-based Quell will receive $85 million upfront from AstraZeneca, and is also eligible to receive over $2 billion for further development and commercialisation milestones, the company added.
From Reuters • Jun. 9, 2023
The movie explores the skittish, perhaps subliminally romantic, relationship between Quell and Dodd.
From Washington Post • Oct. 20, 2020
“It’s too bad about this Quell thing. You could have made out like a bandit in the Capitol. Jewels, money, anything you wanted.”
From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins
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.
