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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to inhabit
to supply with inhabitants
the region was originally settled by farmers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to decide
to give an opinion about (something at issue or in dispute)
settled the lawsuit in favor of the defendant
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to arrange
to come to an agreement or decision concerning the details of
settled their wedding plans without any major disagreements
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to perch
to come to rest after descending from the air
birds settling on the branches of the maple tree
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
7
as in to calm
to free from distress or disturbance
a hot meal settled the children down
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
9
10
as in to determine
to make final, definite, or beyond dispute
this information should settle the question of who is right
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
What once blurred and set seamlessly may suddenly settle into fine lines, accentuate pores, or leave skin looking dry and in need of a touchup by midday.
—
Brigitt Earley,
Glamour,
25 June 2026
Much of the documentary focuses on a Ukrainian immigrant named Walter Chyzowych, who settled in Philadelphia in 1949.
—
Brian Mann,
NPR,
25 June 2026
Which frontier model wins, which lab pulls ahead, which assistant the market finally settles on, none of it is easy to predict.
—
Jon Markman,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
So many skin tints sit greasy on top of the skin, never actually settling in, but not this one.
—
Kaelin Dodge,
InStyle,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for settle
Brigitt Earley,
Glamour,
25 June 2026
Much of the documentary focuses on a Ukrainian immigrant named Walter Chyzowych, who settled in Philadelphia in 1949.
—
Brian Mann,
NPR,
25 June 2026
Which frontier model wins, which lab pulls ahead, which assistant the market finally settles on, none of it is easy to predict.
—
Jon Markman,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
So many skin tints sit greasy on top of the skin, never actually settling in, but not this one.
—
Kaelin Dodge,
InStyle,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for settle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for settle
Verb
-
Female Mexican fruit flies lay thousands of eggs in their lifetime.
-
Roberts didn’t use Ryan’s name in laying this out Sunday.
Verb
-
In a photo from a court document, a 12-gauge shotgun is shown inside a Rocky Ford residence inhabited by Mario Rocha.
-
It would have been used by members of the Acheulo-Yabrudian culture, who inhabited the Levant, or the Near East, around 400,000-250,000 years ago.
Verb
-
Both Swift and Kelce decided to forgo bridesmaids and groomsmen, per a statement shared with People.
-
Later, Swift revealed that she was charmed by Kelce’s willingness to court her so publicly and decided to give him a chance.
Verb
-
The floorplan is arranged with a clear separation between the living areas and private sleeping quarters of the home.
-
Bunting arranged this way is appropriate for covering a speaker’s desk, draping the front of a platform or general decoration.
Verb
-
Marie, perched between Lake Superior and Lake Huron and adjacent to its Canadian twin city of the same name.
-
Luna began the day hopping around, perching on the various trees near the nest.
Verb
-
On June 3, Walden went to the hospital, where a CT scan revealed the metal bristle had become lodged in his bowel and had begun puncturing his intestine.
-
On a hike in 2005, Flod came across a truck tire lodged between two boulders in Malibu Creek.
Verb
-
As the situation in the south has calmed under a tentative truce, Hamza is waiting for the animals’ owners to return and reclaim them.
-
The city is recommending zoning regulations that fall in line with state statute while trying to calm residents who are worried data centers will overwhelm resources like water and energy and impose on their quality of life.
Verb
-
Pomegranates also contain vitamin K and folate, which can help support healthy blood clotting and cell growth, respectively.
-
The Lineage warehouse, built in 2018, is likely to contain different materials of concern.
Cite this Entry
“Settle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/settle. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
