settle down

phrasal verb

settled down; settling down; settles down
1
: to become quiet, calm, or orderly
Settle down, children.
When things settle down here, I'll come for a visit.
2
: to begin to live a quiet and steady life by getting a regular job, getting married, etc.
They swore they would never settle down and get married.
3
: to put oneself into a comfortable position
He settled down for the night.
4
: to become quiet and begin giving one's attention to something
They quickly settled down to their work.

Examples of settle down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The change — effective retroactively — would apply to all condo owners in mixed-use buildings, which are becoming increasingly popular as retirees look to settle down in buildings run like resorts by prominent hotel brands. Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 14 May 2024 After being serenaded with music, including Brahms’ classic lullaby, the children settled down (or tried to) in a patchwork of sleeping bags on an artificial green lawn used in a previous production of Madama Butterfly. Elisabetta Povoledo Alessandro Penso, New York Times, 13 May 2024 San Marino kept its run going in the opening set but the momentum shifted in the second set and Sage Hill settled down and tied the match. David Delgado, Orange County Register, 11 May 2024 Where are Millennials settling down? Millennials, who represented about 28% of homebuyers nationwide last year, are settling down and buying homes across the U.S., but have a stronghold in the South. Sara Chernikoff, USA TODAY, 11 May 2024 The world’s fascination with famous explorers and record-setters began to settle down toward the last quarter of the 20th century. Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 11 May 2024 After a 34-pitch first inning, Lynch settled down to pitch five scoreless innings and register six strikeouts. Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 6 May 2024 Though the couple met in Hollywood, Hemsworth and Pataky moved their family from Los Angeles to Hemsworth's home country Australia in 2015 and eventually settled down in Byron Bay. Tommy McArdle, Peoplemag, 2 May 2024 The crosshairs settled down black and sharp against the bull’s broad, tan back at such an angle that the bullet would drive down through the lungs and have a chance to break the far shoulder. Jack O'Connor, Outdoor Life, 2 May 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'settle down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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Cite this Entry

“Settle down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/settle%20down. Accessed 17 May. 2024.

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