quell

Quell is a verb meaning to suppress, subdue, or quiet something that is disruptive or unwanted. It can denote putting an end to a disturbance by force or authority, or calming something that is troublesome or painful, such as fears or doubts. Quell is typically used with nouns referring to unrest, rebellion, rumors, panic, or dissent: for example, authorities attempted to quell the riot; leaders sought to quell dissent; measures were taken to quell rumors. It can also be used in a more internal sense: to quell anxiety, to quell hunger, or to quell a craving. The term carries a sense of deliberate suppression or pacification rather than mere quietness.

Quell is inflected as quelled in the past tense and quelling in the present participle. It is often used with verbs of intervention or governance, such as "to quell," "to quell the uprising," or "to quell fears." Related verbs include suppress, subdue, pacify, quiet, and allay.

In modern usage, quell appears in journalism, political writing, and everyday language to describe efforts to end disturbances or to calm emotions. It can imply the use of authority or persistent effort, rather than a simple reduction in noise.