settle

¹ American  

[set-l] / ˈsɛt l /

verb (used with object)

• settles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• settled,
  past participle,  past
• settling
  present participle

1. to appoint, fix, or resolve definitely and conclusively; agree upon (as time, price, or conditions).

   Synonyms:

   determine, decide, set

2. to place in a desired state or in order.

   to settle one's affairs.

3. to pay, as a bill.

4. to close (an account) by payment.

   Synonyms:

   liquidate

5. to migrate to and organize (an area, territory, etc.); colonize.

   The pilgrims settled Plymouth.

6. to cause to take up residence.

   They settled immigrants in urban areas.

   Synonyms:

   relocate

7. to furnish (a place) with inhabitants or settlers.

   The French settled this colony with army veterans.

   Synonyms:

   colonize, people

8. to quiet, calm, or bring to rest (the nerves, stomach, etc.).

9. to stop from annoying or opposing.

   A sharp word will settle that youngster.

   Synonyms:

   pacify, still, compose, tranquilize

10. to conclude or resolve.

    to settle a dispute.

11. to make (someone) comfortable or snug.

12. to make stable; place in a permanent position or on a permanent basis.

    Synonyms:

    establish, stabilize

13. to cause (a liquid) to become clear by depositing dregs.

14. to cause (dregs, sediment, etc.) to sink or be deposited.

15. to cause to sink down gradually; make firm or compact.

16. to dispose of finally; close up.

    to settle an estate.

17. Law.

    1. to secure (property, title, etc.) on or to a person by formal or legal process.

    2. to terminate (legal proceedings) by mutual consent of the parties.

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verb (used without object)

• settles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• settled,
  past participle,  past
• settling
  present participle

1. to decide, arrange, or agree (often followed by on orupon ).

   to settle on a plan of action.

2. to arrange matters in dispute; come to an agreement.

   to settle with a person.

3. to pay a bill; make a financial arrangement (often followed byup ).

4. to take up residence in a new country or place.

   Many Frenchmen settled along the Mississippi River following La Salle's explorations.

   Synonyms:

   locate, relocate

5. to come to rest, as from flight.

   A bird settled on a bough.

6. to gather, collect, or become fixed in a particular place, direction, etc..

   A cold settled in my head.

7. to become calm or composed (often followed bydown ).

   I'll wait until the class settles before starting the lesson.

8. to come to rest (often followed bydown ).

   We settled down for the night at an old country inn.

9. to sink down gradually; subside.

   Synonyms:

   abate, fall, decline

10. to become clear by the sinking of suspended particles, as a liquid.

11. to sink to the bottom, as sediment.

12. to become firm or compact, as the ground.

13. (of a female animal) to become pregnant; conceive.

verb phrase

1. settle into to become established in.

   to settle into a new routine.

2. settle for to be satisfied with.

   to settle for less.

3. settle down

   1. to become established in some routine, especially upon marrying, after a period of independence or indecision.

   2. to become calm or quiet.

   3. to apply oneself to serious work.

      There were so many distractions that we weren't able to settle down to studying.

settle ² American  

[set-l] / ˈsɛt l /

noun

1. a long seat or bench, usually wooden, with arms and a high back.

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settle ¹ British  

/ ˈsɛtəl /

verb

1. (tr) to put in order; arrange in a desired state or condition

   he settled his affairs before he died

2. to arrange or be arranged in a fixed or comfortable position

   he settled himself by the fire

3. (intr) to come to rest or a halt

   a bird settled on the hedge

4. to take up or cause to take up residence

   the family settled in the country

5. to establish or become established in a way of life, job, residence, etc

6. (tr) to migrate to and form a community; colonize

7. to make or become quiet, calm, or stable

8. (intr) to be cast or spread; come down

   fog settled over a wide area

9. to make (a liquid) clear or (of a liquid) to become clear; clarify

10. to cause (sediment) to sink to the bottom, as in a liquid, or (of sediment) to sink thus

11. to subside or cause to subside and become firm or compact

    the dust settled

12. (sometimes foll by up) to pay off or account for (a bill, debt, etc)

13. (tr) to decide, conclude, or dispose of

    to settle an argument

14. (intr; often foll by on or upon) to agree or fix

    to settle upon a plan

15. (tr; usually foll by on or upon) to secure (title, property, etc) to a person, as by making a deed of settlement, will, etc

    he settled his property on his wife

16. to determine (a legal dispute, etc) by agreement of the parties without resort to court action (esp in the phrase settle out of court )

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settle ² British  

/ ˈsɛtəl /

noun

1. a seat, for two or more people, usually made of wood with a high back and arms, and sometimes having a storage space in the boxlike seat

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• settleability
  noun
• settledness
  noun
• quasi-settled
  adjective
• settleable
  adjective
• unsettleable
  adjective
• well-settled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• settling
  present
• settled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• settle
  simple
• settles
  simple
• have settled
  perfect
• has settled
  perfect
• am settling
  progressive
• are settling
  progressive
• is settling
  progressive
• have been settling
  perfect progressive
• has been settling
  perfect progressive

Past

• settled
  simple
• had settled
  perfect
• was settling
  progressive
• were settling
  progressive
• had been settling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will settle
  simple
• will have settled
  perfect
• will be settling
  progressive
• will have been settling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of settle¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English setlen, setel(le) “to seat, place in a seat, be seated; sink down; descend,” Old English setlan (attested once) “to settle, seat, take a position of rest,” derivative of setl settle ²; compare Dutch zetelen

Origin of settle²

First recorded before 900; Middle English setle, setel(e), settel “seat, chair, bench, place for sitting,” Old English setl, sedl, sethl; cognate with German Sessel “armchair,” Gothic sitls “seat,” Latin sella (from unrecorded sedla “saddle”; akin to sit ¹

Explanation

To settle means to come to order or rest, much as snow settles on the ground or dust settles on the dining room table. Settle has a number of meanings. After moving several times, you'll wish your parents would settle in one place for the rest of your school years. Have you ever heard your house creaking or groaning? That's the house settling. When adults tell children to calm down, they'll often say, "Settle down kids!" And as a legal term, you settle a lawsuit when the accuser and the accused come to an agreement without going to court.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

settle settles settled settling

You might call your girlfriend and find out that she really just wants to settle in and watch some TV and talk to ChatGPT, not because she’s not a shut-in, but because it’s easier.

From Slate ● Sep. 29, 2026

It is not yet clear where Wahlberg and McCarthy plan to settle after selling their Illinois residence.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 29, 2026

To join the plan, each one had to check a box, agreeing to use arbitration to settle any dispute.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2026

Anderson and midfield partner Lewis-Skelly took some time to settle in what was a tough night in the middle of the pitch against a Spain side who moved the ball so well.

From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026

Another common scenario would be for one person to settle in a more promising place and other family members to follow one by one.

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson

It therefore settles near the bottom of the resulting ash and pumice deposits.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026

New blood has joined the old guard and things should be better when everything settles down.

From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026

The analysts made their assessment as Nike prepares to report quarterly results next week, and as David Denton, its new chief financial officer, settles into the job.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026

Front month gold settles down 0.4% in New York at $4,263.00 a troy ounce.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

Auntie kisses Tūtū on the cheek one more time and then settles back in one of the chairs I’ve pulled up.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

Front-month crude-oil futures settled trading up 0.2% to $92.60 a barrel, pressured by the reopening of the East-West pipeline by Saudi Arabia.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

His family sued Magic Mountain and settled the case in August.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026

His wife recently gave birth to their second child and the family are settled in the area, with Ramsdale only wanting to change clubs if it was the right opportunity.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

Now that they have officially settled into their custom abode, Biles—who is listed on the deed alongside her mother, Nellie—has put the Spring home on the market for $1.2 million.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026

The worry went from my head and sunk down to my chest and settled to a sickness in my stomach.

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

Since settling into the home, Biles has offered several glimpses inside the lavish property—including a peek at their luxurious bedroom, which was designed to evoke the feeling of a five-star hotel.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026

Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison can proclaim victory after settling a lawsuit with state attorneys general that held up his company’s merger with Warner Bros.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2026

Tiphaine Plattard, 32, walked out of the crowd behind a boy in tears, patiently settling him down for a rest in a pushchair.

From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026

Betsie also thinks technology makes settling small debts easier in the US, where payment apps such as Venmo are widely used.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

“I wanted to see how you children were settling in, but I had a very difficult case in the High Court and it was taking up much of my time.”

From "The Bad Beginning" by Lemony Snicket

Related Words

• achieve
• clear
• complete
• conclude
• decide
• determine
• end
• establish
• fix
• negotiate
• pay
• put an end to
• work out