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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Relevance
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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
as in to decide
to give an opinion about (something at issue or in dispute)
settled the lawsuit in favor of the defendant
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4
as in to arrange
to come to an agreement or decision concerning the details of
settled their wedding plans without any major disagreements
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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
7
as in to compose
to free from distress or disturbance
a hot meal settled the children down
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8
9
10
as in to determine
to make final, definite, or beyond dispute
this information should settle the question of who is right
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Example Sentences
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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
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
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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
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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
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Across the 1,000-kilometer (621-mile) frontline, according to analysts, the Ukrainian military has to decide which areas are under greatest threat, where to withdraw, how to redeploy – even as many brigades are seriously under-strength more than three years after the Russian invasion.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
29 May 2025
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In a thousand-year-old sport where a split second can decide everything, two months will probably feel like an eternity.—
Matt Moret,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
Verb
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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
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Clinics often arrange hotel stays and local transfers.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
28 May 2025
Verb
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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
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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
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The man targeted still has bullet bits lodged in his chest, Brown said.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2025
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First responders found a vehicle lodged in the roof.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
28 May 2025
Verb
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To that end, the majority of the songs Metallica performed on Saturday night were all composed and written when original members Ulrich and Hetfield were still in their 20s.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
1 June 2025
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And so yet another coalition, composed of nonprofits and advocacy groups, wrote its own petition for OpenAI’s plans to be investigated, with the aim of preventing charitable organizations from being leveraged for financial gain in the future.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
30 May 2025
Verb
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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
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The Gold Bond Defense Stick contains ingredients that not only help prevent friction but also soothe the skin, such as aloe.—
Katrina Cossey,
Parents,
26 May 2025
Verb
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While Keisha’s mom struggles to pay her child’s private school tuition, Justin’s mom casually wears a Vivienne Westwood suit or a Zimmermann ensemble.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
2 June 2025
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Federal Pell Grants go to low-income students and do not need to be paid back; the administration wants to cut the maximum amount of the annual grant from roughly $7,400 to $5,700.—
Cory Turner,
NPR,
2 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Settle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/settle. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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