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 Google settled with the Alphabet Workers Union, which represents company employees and contractors, according to the U.S. National Labor Relations Board, or NLRB. Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2025 In October, the parties settled the lawsuit for $1.85 million. Erin Jensen, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025 Arsenal settled far quicker than its visitor which only showed flashes of its brilliance in the first half – Kylian Mbappé twice failing to convert when through on goal. Ben Church, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2025 The couple had eventually settled in the UAE after emigrating from Iran in the revolution’s wake. Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 29 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for settle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for settle
Verb
  • As the Zoroastrian belief goes, corpses are immediately inhabited by Nasu, the demon of decay, at the moment of death.
    Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Learn about the area’s history from the Native Americans who inhabited the region thousands of years ago to the development of Gemini Springs Park and more.
    Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Some tourists stumbled upon the skinny discount at Chiang Mai Breakfast World and decided to try it, as shown in a pair of Instagram videos that have since gone viral.
    Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Then President Nayib Bukele decided enough was enough.
    Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • But the human author was a sort of conductor: prompting, arranging, intervening.
    Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Oz: On [Richard’s] birthday, Laura arranged for maybe a dozen Civil War reenactors to come galloping onto the set.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Picture a structure taller than Seattle’s Space Needle perched sideways in the clouds—a horizontal skyscraper: only in Dubai.
    Baz Dreisinger, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • And perched high above it all, at 444 East 52nd Street, is a penthouse that once served as a sanctuary for two of America’s most celebrated writers: Dorothy Parker and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • According to Chief Joseph Ranch’s website, the cabin was built in 1916 and was used as lodging for the ranch’s staff.
    Yasmeen Hamadeh, People.com, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Inside the body During the subsequent 24 hours, the virus takes root by lodging in her nasopharynx cells in the upper part of the throat and starts spreading to her lungs.
    Emily Baumgaertner Nunn, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Retired educators: The Retired Educators of Osceola County is composed of people who are retired from the field of education from anywhere in the country.
    Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The presentation was brought to life at the start by a full orchestra performing a live rendition of the franchise’s familiar theme music, originally composed by John Williams.
    Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The underlying challenge the editorial was hinting at was how any reform can be accomplished through governance mechanisms to contain growth which also respects some measure of individual choice for consumption.
    Saleem H. Ali, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • The Keystone oil pipeline was shut down Tuesday morning following a rupture in North Dakota, with the resulting spill contained to an agricultural field near Fort Ransom.
    Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • At its heart, the trial was about whether college athletes and former college athletes should be paid more than nothing for use of their NIL in video games and other products.
    Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • That is to say, preventing e-commerce players like Shein and Temu from shipping direct-to-consumer orders into the U.S. without duties while other companies pay tariffs to import their inventory en masse.
    Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 3 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Settle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/settle. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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