Standard Lemma guide

squelch

noun · verb · 14 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American, UK: /ˈskwɛlt͡ʃ/
  • rhymes with -ɛltʃ
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S K W EH1 L CH Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A squelching sound.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Ellipsis of squelch circuit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountable

Topics: broadcasting, electrical-engineering, engineering, media, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, radio, radio-technology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A heavy blow or fall.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, dated

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A kind of electronic beat or sound mainly used in acid house and related music genres.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To halt, stop, eliminate, stamp out, or put down, often suddenly or by force.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, transitive

Examples

  • Even the king's announcement could not squelch the rumors.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: quash

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To suppress the unwanted hiss or static between received transmissions by adjusting a threshold level for signal strength.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: broadcasting, electrical-engineering, engineering, media, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, radio, radio-technology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To make a sucking, splashing noise as when walking on muddy ground.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, intransitive

Examples

  • The mud squelched underfoot; it had been raining all night.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To walk or step through a substance such as mud.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, intransitive

Examples

  • The mud was thick and sticky underfoot, but we squelched through it nonetheless.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

an electric circuit that cuts off a receiver when the signal becomes weaker than the noise

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: squelch circuit, squelcher

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: circuit, electrical circuit, electric circuit

10

noun

Meaning 10

a crushing remark

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: put-down, squelcher, takedown

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: derision

11

verb

Meaning 11

suppress or crush completely

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • squelch any sign of dissent
  • quench a rebellion

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: quell, quench

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: suppress, stamp down, inhibit, subdue, conquer, curb

12

verb

Meaning 12

to compress with violence, out of natural shape or condition

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • crush an aluminum can
  • squeeze a lemon

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: squash, crush, mash, squeeze

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: press

Narrower terms: wring, stamp, steamroller, tread, telescope

13

verb

Meaning 13

walk through mud or mire

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We had to splosh across the wet meadow

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: squish, splash, splosh, slosh, slop

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: slog, footslog, plod, trudge, pad, tramp

14

verb

Meaning 14

make a sucking sound

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: sound, go

History

Etymology

Unknown. Perhaps a blend of squash + quell + quench. Compare also English squolsh, English squoosh.

Across languages

Translations

72 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: шляпане (šljapane) — a squelching sound
  • Hungarian: cuppogás — a squelching sound
  • Hungarian: szortyogás — a squelching sound
  • Hungarian: szörcsögés — a squelching sound
  • Māori: pakora — a squelching sound
  • Māori: pākorakora — a squelching sound
  • Russian: хлюпанье (xljupanʹje) — a squelching sound
  • Swedish: klafs — a squelching sound
  • Bulgarian: потискане (potiskane) — suppression of unwanted hiss
  • German: Rauschsperre — suppression of unwanted hiss
  • German: Rauschunterdrückung — suppression of unwanted hiss
  • Hungarian: csendeshangolás — suppression of unwanted hiss
  • Hungarian: zajelnyomás — suppression of unwanted hiss
  • Hungarian: zajzár — suppression of unwanted hiss
  • Russian: шумоподавление (šumopodavlenije) — suppression of unwanted hiss
  • Bulgarian: потушавам (potušavam) — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Bulgarian: потискам (potiskam) — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Czech: učinit přítrž — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Czech: zarazit — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Dutch: smoren — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • French: clouer le bec — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • French: museler — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • French: réduire au silence — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • German: unterdrücken — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Hungarian: elnyom — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Hungarian: elfojt — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Hungarian: elhallgattat — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Hungarian: megakadályoz — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Hungarian: letör — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Hungarian: eltapos — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Hungarian: kiirt — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Hungarian: felszámol — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Hungarian: megállít — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Hungarian: eltipor — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Russian: уничтожа́ть (uničtožátʹ) — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Spanish: aplastar — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Swedish: hejda — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Swedish: hindra — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Swedish: stoppa — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Ukrainian: придушити (prydušyty) — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Ukrainian: знищити (znyščyty) — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Ukrainian: розтоптати (roztoptaty) — to halt, stop, eliminate
  • Spanish: sintonizar — radio technology: suppress hiss or static
  • Ukrainian: придушити (prydušyty) — radio technology: suppress hiss or static
  • Ukrainian: заглушити (zahlušyty) — radio technology: suppress hiss or static
  • Bulgarian: шляпам (šljapam) — to make a sucking, splashing noise
  • Czech: čvachtat — to make a sucking, splashing noise
  • French: faire floc floc — to make a sucking, splashing noise
  • French: faire flip-flap — to make a sucking, splashing noise
  • Galician: choupar — to make a sucking, splashing noise
  • Galician: batuxar — to make a sucking, splashing noise
  • Galician: escaldrufar — to make a sucking, splashing noise
  • German: matschen — to make a sucking, splashing noise
  • Hungarian: cuppog — to make a sucking, splashing noise
  • Hungarian: szortyog — to make a sucking, splashing noise
  • Hungarian: tocsog — to make a sucking, splashing noise
  • Hungarian: szörcsög — to make a sucking, splashing noise
  • Russian: хлюпать (xljupatʹ) — to make a sucking, splashing noise
  • Serbo-Croatian: šljapkati — to make a sucking, splashing noise
  • Spanish: chapotear — to make a sucking, splashing noise
  • Swedish: klafsa — to make a sucking, splashing noise
  • Ukrainian: хлюпати (xljupaty) — to make a sucking, splashing noise
  • Ukrainian: чалапати (čalapaty) — to make a sucking, splashing noise
  • Ukrainian: шльопати (šlʹopaty) — to make a sucking, splashing noise
  • Czech: čvachtat se — to walk or step through a substance such as a mud
  • Czech: rochnit se — to walk or step through a substance such as a mud
  • Dutch: ploeteren — to walk or step through a substance such as a mud
  • Hungarian: caplat — to walk or step through a substance such as a mud
  • Hungarian: slattyog — to walk or step through a substance such as a mud
  • Swedish: klafsa — to walk or step through a substance such as a mud
  • Ukrainian: чалапати (čalapaty) — to walk or step through a substance such as a mud
  • Ukrainian: брьохати (brʹoxaty) — to walk or step through a substance such as a mud