MEANING
1. To put down or suppress resistance, disorder, or an outbreak, typically decisively.
2. To calm, allay, or overcome a disturbing feeling, doubt, or impulse.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- quell a rebellion
- quell unrest
On the page
The governor quelled the rebellion but not the grievances behind it.
The guards tried to quell the disturbance before it reached the courtyard.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- quell
- Past tense
- quelled
- Past participle
- quelled
- Present participle
- quelling
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- quell
- Present continuous
- am/is/are quelling
- Present perfect
- have/has quelled
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been quelling
- Past
- quelled
- Past continuous
- was/were quelling
- Past perfect
- had quelled
- Past perfect continuous
- had been quelling
- Future
- will quell
- Future continuous
- will be quelling
- Future perfect
- will have quelled
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been quelling
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary. Forms: quell; quells; quelled; quelled; quelling Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Third-person singular: quells.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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