SETTLES Synonyms: 264 Similar and Opposite Words

settles

verb

present tense third-person singular of settle

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

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Relevance

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as in inhabits

to supply with inhabitants the region was originally settled by farmers

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as in decides

to give an opinion about (something at issue or in dispute) settled the lawsuit in favor of the defendant

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as in arranges

to come to an agreement or decision concerning the details of settled their wedding plans without any major disagreements

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as in perches

to come to rest after descending from the air birds settling on the branches of the maple tree

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as in nestles

to establish or place comfortably or snugly settled the sleeping baby into her crib

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as in calms

to free from distress or disturbance a hot meal settled the children down

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as in contains

to gain emotional or mental control of settled himself only with visible effort after the angry outburst

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as in pays

to give what is owed for settle a debt

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repudiates

as in determines

to make final, definite, or beyond dispute this information should settle the question of who is right

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as in shushes

to stop the noise or speech of settled the class with a firm "quiet!"

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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 Adebo could see some action against three-receiver sets regardless, depending on what Harbaugh settles with at the slot corner spot. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026 As the fiscal reality of these mandates settles in communities across the state, the scramble of local governments to avoid cutting both core and beloved school programs like Outdoor School will become even more frantic. — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 27 Aug. 2026 Bamberg reveals itself best in the evening, when day-trippers depart, and the town settles into a slower rhythm. — Sofia Markovich, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2026 Once the evening settles in, the storm threat should come to an end. — Matthew Villafane, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026 The end result is that, as everyone settles on one side of the parenthood fence or the other, many pick the side with people a lot like themselves. — Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026 Removing a single record rarely settles the issue, and aiming for total invisibility is neither realistic nor a reliable defense. — Control Risks, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026 The formal designation settles a debate over whether or not the site’s role in one of the more significant events in Israel history should be remembered or erased. — Deborah Danan, Sun Sentinel, 17 Aug. 2026 The deal settles any claims over Suno’s prior use of BMG’s music in training data. — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 12 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for settles

Verb

My novel The Rayburn Affair lays bare notions of friendship, rivalry, envy, authorship, and power.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
Accounting Statement 34 from the standards-setting nonprofit lays the foundation for capitalizing, reporting and depreciating capital assets.

— Kathryn Blackman, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of lays

Verb

Crowther's ultimate sacrifice was indicative not only of his upbringing in Empire Hook and Ladder, but of the spirit that inhabits all volunteer firefighters, Gottlieb argued.

— Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Video gambling, which now inhabits all corners of the state from gas stations to carryout restaurants, was not around when the state's self-exclusion list was created, and the machines have never been integrated.

— CBS News, CBS News, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of inhabits

Verb

She is involved in a bus accident that results in a fatality and, with the crusading passion that so many people felt after 9/11, decides to get involved as a witness and truth-teller.

— Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
The Oconomowoc Area School District will align its decision on Flock cameras with whatever the City of Oconomowoc decides regarding its own use of the cameras.

— Alec Johnson, jsonline.com, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of decides

Verb

But that’s also more or less the premise of this supposedly final installment of the rebooted franchise, which arranges another multiplayer safari of joystick slapstick for the Rock, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, and Karen Gillan.

— A.A. Dowd, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026
And the concierge arranges virtually anything your heart desires, whether that's a private bike tour around the beaches of the Kennebunks, a hot air balloon ride, a cooking class, or a private dinner in the restaurant's wine cellar.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of arranges

Verb

Head to Stoos, which perches on a plateau at the base of the Fronalpstock in central Switzerland.

— Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 24 May 2026
Live streams from entertainment events like the Grammys or Golden Globes aren’t typically perches for controversy, but, says Anthony McCartney, AP’s entertainment and lifestyles editor, celebrities will sometimes be asked to weigh in on recent headlines.

— Brian Steinberg, Variety, 16 Mar. 2026

Definition of perches

Verb

For me, the biggest thing is once the fire calms down from a game, there’s more learning points for me than in the past.

— Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Niacinamide — a multi-functional ingredient that strengthens the skin barrier, regulates oil production, and calms and fades discoloration — is also in the mix.

— Claudia Fisher, PEOPLE, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of calms

Verb

The bill, to its credit, contains a lot of admirable protections for athletes, most notably a 5 percent cap on agents’ commissions on NIL deals.

— Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Thanks to the single-floor layout of the tiny house, this has ample headroom to stand upright and contains a double bed and some storage.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Sep. 2026