settle down

phrasal verb

settled down; settling down; settles down

1

: to become quiet, calm, or orderly

Settle down, children.

When things settle down here, I'll come for a visit.

2

: to begin to live a quiet and steady life by getting a regular job, getting married, etc.

They swore they would never settle down and get married.

3

: to put oneself into a comfortable position

He settled down for the night.

4

: to become quiet and begin giving one's attention to something

They quickly settled down to their work.

Examples of settle down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Most need about two years to grow a mature plant with an offshoot or two and then settle down to flower and fruit. —Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2025

Once beside them, the cat gently licked and sniffed the tiny, wriggling kittens before settling down protectively. —Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025

Once things settle down, consider exploring new travel destinations. —Essence Lifestyle, Essence, 31 Mar. 2025

Phillips said that even once this year's fire season settles down, the issues caused by Hurricane Helene will linger. —Kerry Breen, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2025

Rhymes for settle down

• chinatown
• tumbledown
• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown