settled
Americanadjective
-
fixed or established; unlikely to change.
Like most of us, he has settled habits and opinions.
-
agreed upon; decided.
the rules of settled grammatical usage.
-
having inhabitants or settlers.
settled regions of the country.
-
having a permanent residence; not wandering.
In time the Israelites became a settled people.
Synonym Usage
See staid.
Etymology
Origin of settled
First recorded in 1550–60; settle 1 ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A long-running debate about a mysterious crater hidden beneath the North Sea has finally been settled.
From Science Daily • Jun. 30, 2026
There was also infighting among the group, with some bettors chasing big paydays while others settled for more modest wins.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 29, 2026
The de Kansky family settled in California, first in Los Angeles, then in Newport Beach, followed by three years in Altadena before buying a home in Sierra Madre.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 29, 2026
Dr Theodore Keeping, an extreme weather and wildfire researcher at Imperial College London, said the link between climate change and worsening heatwaves is "settled".
From BBC • Jun. 27, 2026
After a few weeks, my aunts became less wary of me and we settled into a routine.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
