settlement

noun

set·​tle·​ment ˈse-tᵊl-mənt 

1

: the act or process of settling

2

a

: an act of bestowing or giving possession under legal sanction

b

: the sum, estate, or income secured to one by such a settlement

3

a

: occupation by settlers

b

: a place or region newly settled

c

: a small village

4

: settlement house

5

: an agreement composing differences

6

: payment or adjustment of an account

Synonyms

• accord
• agreement
• bargain
• compact
• contract
• convention
• covenant
• deal
• disposition
• pact
• understanding

Example Sentences

I got the house in the divorce settlement.

The parties have not been able to reach a settlement in the case.

We were hoping for a quick settlement of the dispute between the neighbors.

English settlements in North America.

This was the island's first colonial settlement.

They came upon the ruins of an ancient settlement.

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Recent Examples on the Web

The estate of the housekeeper did not receive any settlement funds. —Kerry Breen, CBS News, 24 May 2023

The estate did not receive any of the settlement funds. —Michael M. Dewitt, USA TODAY, 24 May 2023

Satterfield's son, Tony Satterfield, testified during Murdaugh's murder trial that his family never received a penny from the $4 million settlement funds. —Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 24 May 2023

The House Committee on General Investigating is meeting Wednesday morning to hear testimony related to its investigation into Paxton's settlement fund. —Kennedy Sessions, Chron, 24 May 2023

The checks were then delivered to Laffitte, whom Murdaugh directed to use the settlement funds for Murdaugh’s benefit,’’ prosecutors wrote. —Timothy Bella, BostonGlobe.com, 24 May 2023

In the 1990s and 2000s, historic settlements in discrimination lawsuits against major banks pushed CEOs to pay more attention to diversity. —Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2023

Therefore, if there is no settlement at mediation, sellers and buyers generally go to litigation in the court system. —Christopher A. Combs, The Arizona Republic, 16 May 2023

The negotiation is expected following a settlement hearing with union attorneys. —Natasha Chen, CNN, 16 May 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing settlement

• out-of-court settlement
• settlement house
• viatical settlement
• pre-settlement

• out-of-court settlement
• settlement house
• viatical settlement
• pre-settlement

Kids Definition

settlement

noun

set·​tle·​ment ˈset-ᵊl-mənt 

1

: the act of settling : the condition of being settled

2

: final payment (as of a bill)

3

a

: a place or region newly settled

b

: a small village

4

: settlement house

Legal Definition

settlement

noun

set·​tle·​ment

1

: the act or process of settling

2

a

: an agreement reducing or resolving differences

especially : an agreement between litigants that concludes the litigation

the states finally agreed upon a settlement and a consent decree

—W. J. Brennan, Jr.

entered into a property settlement prior to the divorce

b

: a formal and permanent grant or conveyance

c

: the sum, estate, or income granted or paid under a settlement

if the monetary limits of a defendant's insurance policy can be discovered in order to obtain reasonable settlements

—J. H. Friedenthal et al.

3

: closing

settlement costs

4

: the transfer of funds between a payor bank and a collecting bank in order to complete transactions for customers