“Quash” is a verb that basically means to firmly stop something or declare it no longer valid, often in an official or forceful way.

Core meanings

  • Stop or suppress something : To put an end to an action, rumor, protest, or feeling, usually decisively.
    • Example: “The government moved quickly to quash the revolt.”
* Similar words: suppress, halt, put down, extinguish.
  • Overturn a legal decision : In law, to officially rule that a previous decision, conviction, or order is wrong and no longer has effect.
    • Example: “His conviction was later quashed by the Court of Appeal.”
* This is close in meaning to “overturn,” “void,” or “annul.”

How people use “quash”

  • Everyday or media use:
    • “The company issued a statement to quash rumors about a merger.”
* “Officials tried to quash speculation about his resignation.”
  • Political or social context:
    • “Troops were sent in to quash the uprising.”
  • Legal context:
    • “The judge quashed the indictment.”

Quick nuance check

  • “Quash” is usually about non-physical things (rumors, decisions, protests), while “squash” is often physical (you squash a bug or a can).
  • It carries a fairly strong tone: quashing something suggests shutting it down completely, often with authority or power.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.