1
as in lays
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 inhabits
to supply with inhabitants
the region was originally settled by farmers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in decides
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 arranges
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 perches
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
as in nestles
to establish or place comfortably or snugly
settled the sleeping baby into her crib
Synonyms & Similar Words
7
as in calms
to free from distress or disturbance
a hot meal settled the children down
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in contains
to gain emotional or mental control of
settled himself only with visible effort after the angry outburst
Synonyms & Similar Words
9
as in pays
to give what is owed for
settle a debt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
10
as in determines
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 settles
And as that low light settles in, my whole body shifts in spirit.
—
Josh Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
After this brief stretch of colder weather, a steady warming trend is expected from Thursday through Sunday as the ridge of high pressure to our west slowly shifts east and settles over Texas.
—Mary Wasson, Austin American Statesman, 4 Feb. 2026
Even my 61-year-old mom, who swore off heavy makeup that settles into fine lines, loves Touche Éclat.
—Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 1 Feb. 2026
Temperatures on Friday are expected to top out in the upper 40s before dipping to the teens at night once the colder air settles in, according to the National Weather Service’s Fort Worth office.
—Suryatapa Chakraborty, Dallas Morning News, 30 Jan. 2026
Taylor Swift also settles ahead of Bieber, Beyoncé, and Mars with just one additional tune.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
With a relaxed local crowd and the game always on screen, the food settles in comfortably for the full broadcast.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 30 Jan. 2026
Thankfully, Thursday looks like the breeziest day before winds back down a bit Friday and Saturday as the coldest weather settles in.
—Cutter Martin, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
Phoenix is headed for a warm, dry stretch that looks more like March than late January as a stubborn weather pattern settles over the West and highs flirt with 80 degrees over the weekend.
—Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Josh Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
After this brief stretch of colder weather, a steady warming trend is expected from Thursday through Sunday as the ridge of high pressure to our west slowly shifts east and settles over Texas.
—Mary Wasson, Austin American Statesman, 4 Feb. 2026
Even my 61-year-old mom, who swore off heavy makeup that settles into fine lines, loves Touche Éclat.
—Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 1 Feb. 2026
Temperatures on Friday are expected to top out in the upper 40s before dipping to the teens at night once the colder air settles in, according to the National Weather Service’s Fort Worth office.
—Suryatapa Chakraborty, Dallas Morning News, 30 Jan. 2026
Taylor Swift also settles ahead of Bieber, Beyoncé, and Mars with just one additional tune.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
With a relaxed local crowd and the game always on screen, the food settles in comfortably for the full broadcast.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 30 Jan. 2026
Thankfully, Thursday looks like the breeziest day before winds back down a bit Friday and Saturday as the coldest weather settles in.
—Cutter Martin, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
Phoenix is headed for a warm, dry stretch that looks more like March than late January as a stubborn weather pattern settles over the West and highs flirt with 80 degrees over the weekend.
—Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for settles
Verb
-
His case also lays bare a US immigration system that routinely subjects migrants to prolonged detention under harsh conditions – one that human rights organizations say overwhelmingly ensnares Black and brown people far from the public spotlight.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
-
According to the San Diego Bird Alliance, the western snowy plover lays its eggs in loose sand with little cover along the Pacific coastline, leaving its nest largely unprotected from high tides and weather.—
Caleb Lunetta,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Each sound inhabits its own space, hardly touching the others.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
-
That tonal shift is mirrored not only in the storytelling, but in the places the series now inhabits.—
Chloe Laws,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Naturally, Liz decides to create her own rom-com HAE and rope Wes into helping her win Michael’s heart by pretending to fake date each other.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
-
How the jury weighs Guevara’s refusal to answer questions could factor heavily into how much the city will eventually pay out in the more than two dozen other lawsuits that are still pending against him — or whether the Law Department decides to roll the dice and take some of them to trial.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The idea of an in-person meeting is suggested, and several years later, Porter arranges it.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The program has a booking agency that arranges travel, when needed, and a program consultant meets the player in his city to accompany him.—
Joe Smith,
New York Times,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Even the squirrels in the backyard and the bird that perches on the deck are put on notice.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The Ringed Kingfisher perches up to 30 feet above the surface, watching for medium-size fish and then plunging in headfirst with a mighty splash.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Lech nestles along the eponymous river, tucked in amongst Austria’s westernmost mountains.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Boasting a playful curved lip that fits neatly in your palm and elegantly nestles one after the other in a stack, these wavy plates are an exceptionally sculptural way to set the table.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
26 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Soothing green tea leaf extract calms redness, while moisturizing butylene glycol leaves skin feeling dewier and smoother.—
Sarah Han,
Allure,
27 Jan. 2026
-
When the tempo calms down for genuine soul-searching and truth-telling, the results may not be dramatically scintillating but there is a blunt and convincing force that registers between these two big beefy half-bros who aren’t used to expressing their feelings.—
Richard Kuipers,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Black tea contains polyphenols, such as theaflavins and thearubigins, that act like prebiotics, benefiting the bacteria in your microbiome.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
15 Feb. 2026
-
For instance, some soil contains too much clay, causing drainage problems.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Settles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/settles. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
