verb

quell

kwehl

Quell (verb) means to bring a disturbance, rebellion, or strong feeling under control; to suppress it. Example: “Troops were sent in to quell the riot.”

verb

To bring a disturbance, rebellion, or strong feeling under control; to suppress it.

"Troops were sent in to quell the riot."

"A cup of tea helped quell her nerves before the interview."

How to use quell

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo stop or calm something forceful — an uprising, fear, or noise.

Common pairings

quell fears quell a rebellion quell unrest

Word forms

quelled past tense, quell plural, quelled plural, quells plural, quells plural, quells singular, quell singular, quelled singular, quellest singular, quelledst singular, quelleth singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “quell” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Troops were sent in to _____ the riot.

Etymology

From Old English cwellan, "to kill" — related to the modern word kill.

Origin: Old English

Frequently asked questions

What does “quell” mean?

The word “quell” means to bring a disturbance, rebellion, or strong feeling under control; to suppress it. In plain terms, to stop or calm something forceful — an uprising, fear, or noise.

How do you pronounce “quell”?

“Quell” is pronounced kwehl (/kwɛl/ in IPA).

How do you use “quell” in a sentence?

Here is “quell” used in a sentence: “Troops were sent in to quell the riot.”

What part of speech is “quell”?

“Quell” is a verb.

Where does the word “quell” come from?

The word “quell” comes from Old English. From Old English cwellan, "to kill" — related to the modern word kill.

Featured in

Vocabulary lists that include quell:

Words that start with Q