Squelching

Squelching describes the act of making a sucking sound, often from something wet, soft, or muddy being compressed, moved through, or stepped on. The sound is a distinct, often unpleasant, and sometimes comical noise. It can also refer figuratively to the act of suppressing or silencing something, like an idea or a protest, in a forceful and decisive manner. The term implies a degree of wetness, stickiness, or resistance in either the physical or metaphorical context. The sound itself may be associated with physical discomfort or a sense of constraint, while the figurative use implies an act of dominance and control.

Squelching meaning with examples

• As she waded through the marsh, her boots made a loud, squelching sound with every step, splattering mud on her trousers. The water logged ground and thick mud made for a rather difficult walk.
• The child's hand squeezed the ketchup packet, causing the sauce to squelch out onto the plate with a loud popping sound. The pressure of the squeeze sent the red sauce everywhere.
• The dog's paws made a squelching sound as it played in the puddles left after the heavy rain. The dog seemed unbothered by the noise it made, simply happy to play outside.
• With each push of the pump, a squelching sound emerged from the engine's pipes as the fluid moved. It indicated that the mechanism was functioning but also the source of a possible leak.