1
as in to lay
to cause to come to rest at the bottom (as of a liquid) the light rain will settle the dust in the air careful handling will settle the lees in the bottom of the wine bottle

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2
as in to inhabit
to supply with inhabitants the region was originally settled by farmers

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3
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5
as in to perch
to come to rest after descending from the air birds settling on the branches of the maple tree

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6
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8
as in to contain
to gain emotional or mental control of settled himself only with visible effort after the angry outburst

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9
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11
as in to shush
to stop the noise or speech of settled the class with a firm "quiet!"

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb settle differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of settle are decide, determine, resolve, and rule. While all these words mean "to come or cause to come to a conclusion," settle implies a decision reached by someone with power to end all dispute or uncertainty.

the dean's decision settled the campus alcohol policy

When might decide be a better fit than settle?

While in some cases nearly identical to settle, decide implies previous consideration of a matter causing doubt, wavering, debate, or controversy.

she decided to sell her house

When is it sensible to use determine instead of settle?

The words determine and settle can be used in similar contexts, but determine implies fixing the identity, character, scope, or direction of something.

determined the cause of the problem

When would resolve be a good substitute for settle?

In some situations, the words resolve and settle are roughly equivalent. However, resolve implies an expressed or clear decision or determination to do or refrain from doing something.

he resolved to quit smoking

In what contexts can rule take the place of settle?

Although the words rule and settle have much in common, rule implies a determination by judicial or administrative authority.

the judge ruled that the evidence was inadmissible

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of settle Instead, the zoning dispute will be settled in court. Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2025 They were welcomed into the world at 29 weeks and spent some time in NICU before settling into their home with their two brothers, who are now two and four years old. Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025 Sire Spirits fired him and went into arbitration, which was settled in Sire’s favor. Christie D’zurilla, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025 Most likely, this part of the dispute will not be settled until July 30, when a hearing is scheduled on the motions for sanctions. Ashley Belanger – May 27, ArsTechnica, 27 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for settle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for settle
Verb
  • Improbably located right across the street from their humble abode is the upscale manse inhabited by the Falconers, a rich couple (Katherine Waterson, Chris Klein) who’ve raised only child Tiffany (Fina Strazza) to be a particularly stinging WASP.
    Dennis Harvey, Variety, 23 May 2025
  • The shop, known for its French pastries, will inhabit a 2,800-square-foot space on the ground level of a new luxury apartment complex called The Juniper at 19865 Mainstreet in Parker.
    Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 20 May 2025
Verb
  • As mentioned above, there are myriad factors—international transportation bottlenecks, natural disasters and supplier insolvency, among others—that need to be considered simultaneously in real time to decide what’s best for the business.
    Sadagopan S, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
  • Those include the major questions doctrine, which says Congress needs to give clear authorization for federal agencies to decide issues of major economic significance, and the nondelegation doctrine, which holds that Congress can't delegate its legislative power to the executive branch.
    Joe Walsh, CBS News, 29 May 2025
Verb
  • Clinics often arrange hotel stays and local transfers.
    William Jones, USA Today, 28 May 2025
  • At Emery’s request, the club arranged a warm-weather camp in Dubai during the March international break, including a couple of friendlies against local teams.
    Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • The origin of the tradition was in 1936, when Louis Meyer, after having won his third Indy 500, sat perched on his car and had a bottle of buttermilk in his left hand.
    Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2025
  • Visit the Vik Myrdal Church perched on a hill and explore the nearby Dyrhólaey promontory for panoramic views.
    Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Verb
  • The man targeted still has bullet bits lodged in his chest, Brown said.
    Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025
  • First responders found a vehicle lodged in the roof.
    PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • Photo : Chopard Choker composed of tanzanite beads (599.50 cts) featuring a floral motif in ethical 18-carat white gold set with brilliant-cut diamonds (20.79 cts).
    Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 20 May 2025
  • Rather than being confined to an application for composing code, the agent appears as just another programmer on the team.
    Jordan Novet, CNBC, 19 May 2025
Verb
  • For example, foods containing the slow-release carbohydrate sweetener sucromalt help people with diabetes prevent blood sugar spikes, and hypoallergenic infant formula can be lifesaving for infants that cannot digest milk at a young age.
    Paul Dawson, The Conversation, 26 May 2025
  • Choose products with humectants: When looking for products to maintain your hair's moisture, select those that contain humectants, which are substances that attract and hold water to hydrate the hair.
    Sherri Gordon, Health, 26 May 2025
Verb
  • That hasn’t stopped companies from throwing millions of dollars in bonuses and pay packages at star researchers, according to seven sources familiar with the matter.
    Anna Tong, USA Today, 22 May 2025
  • This was a chance for the Phillips family to pay things forward and hear stories like theirs.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 21 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Settle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/settle. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.

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