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

Hence, fewer people in their 20s have settled down and started families, leaving more time for the intense training required to prepare for a marathon. —Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 7 Nov. 2025

Your dog starts panting and won’t settle down. —Maria Williams, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025

Provided your leaf layer isn't too thick, the smaller pieces will settle down into the grass and become less visible, while still providing soil benefits. —Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Nov. 2025

Scherzer got set and was able to settle down and retire Will Smith, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts after the single. —Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2025

Rhymes for settle down

• chinatown
• tumbledown
• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown