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

Examples of settlement in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

Under the terms of the settlement Trinity agreed to pay $25,000 in April and $15,000 in May. —Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 29 May 2025

According to Reuters, Rite Aid's previous Chapter 11 filing in October 2023 allowed the company to eliminate $2 billion in debt, close hundreds of stores and reach settlements with both lenders and plaintiffs in various lawsuits. —Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025

The administration has since sought to freeze or cancel funding through the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), but those attempts have so far been rebuffed or resulted in settlements when challenged in federal court. —Samantha Riedel, Them., 28 May 2025

The source of the $207,000 growth after the settlement agreement was signed is not identified. —Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing settlement

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

Rhymes for settlement

• resettlement

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