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

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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

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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

Meta in 2019 agreed to pay $5 billion to settle claims by the Federal Trade Commission for violating consumer privacy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026

The fine is the largest to date against Meta, which has either been fined or agreed to settle several other lawsuits this year, including an $18bn deal with California.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026

The penalty comes a couple of months after Meta agreed to pay $18 billion to settle claims brought by 48 other states, including allegations tied to Cambridge Analytica.

From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026

Musk and Tesla had to pay $20 million each to settle with the SEC over the affair.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026

“How peculiar this all is! I wish I had some chocolate to settle my nerves. Can I offer you something to drink, Judge Quinzy?”

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

He aims for six hours but often settles for less.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

Once the dust settles from these market selloffs, gold and silver prices often rebound quickly due to bargain buying, Samuelson said.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 17, 2026

“Verity” is no different, allowing Johnson to move her character between suspicion and warmth with languid ease as she settles into Verity’s Vermont home to work.

From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2026

It is often confused with the International Court of Justice, also based in The Hague, which settles disputes between countries.

From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026

Then she settles quietly on her bed and we get going.

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

Defence barrister Jessica Flain said West had partly paid a man to restore the map, but he would not hand it back until the full fee was settled.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

Zuckerberg and the committee eventually settled on the current one-for-one Class C dividend.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026

The Rottenbergs settled in an apartment in Leopoldstadt, a district synonymous with Jewish Vienna.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

He’d settled into the role, and owned an .809 OPS, when his elbow injury flared while throwing before a game on Aug. 2.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026

Then a prison boredom—which I soon learned to fear above all else— settled over the cell.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Here’s what to consider before settling on your own retirement number.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026

Throughout the game, the Cardinals pushed the ball deep into the Rams side of the field before settling for field goals.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

Beyond settling the competition, the researchers uncovered a more intriguing scientific question.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

Chicago Fed president Austan Goolsbee says the ultimate settling place for interest rates is a someplace a fair bit below where we are now.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

Upon which Mrs. Pocket laughed and said, “Thank you, Flopson,” and settling herself in one chair only, resumed her book.

From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens

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Related Words

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

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