verb
-
to subdue forcefully and completely; put down; suppress
-
to annul or make void (a law, decision, etc)
-
to reject (an indictment, writ, etc) as invalid
Other Word Forms
- unquashed adjective
Etymology
Origin of quash
1300–50; Middle English quashen to smash, break, overcome, suppress < Old French quasser, in part < Latin quassāre to shake (frequentative of quatere to shake; concussion ); in part < Late Latin cassāre to annul, derivative of Latin cassus empty, void
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.
By her own recognition, that can establish a certain public perception - and it is something she is keen to quash after swapping Mediterranean life for a relegation battle in the East Midlands.
From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026
The Fed asked the court to quash the subpoenas issued by the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026
A court could also limit or quash the subpoenas issued to the Fed, effectively ending the dispute.
From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026
Wielding this new power, Bondi could essentially quash any state investigations into ethics violations by DOJ lawyers, including accusations that these front-line attorneys lied in court, by allowing “reviews” that might last indefinitely.
From Slate • Mar. 6, 2026
I grit my teeth and quash an impulse to throw a trowel at it.
From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed
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.
