1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inhabits
to supply with inhabitants
the region was originally settled by farmers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in decides
to give an opinion about (something at issue or in dispute)
settled the lawsuit in favor of the defendant
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in arranges
to come to an agreement or decision concerning the details of
settled their wedding plans without any major disagreements
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in perches
to come to rest after descending from the air
birds settling on the branches of the maple tree
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in nestles
to establish or place comfortably or snugly
settled the sleeping baby into her crib
Synonyms & Similar Words
7
as in calms
to free from distress or disturbance
a hot meal settled the children down
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in contains
to gain emotional or mental control of
settled himself only with visible effort after the angry outburst
Synonyms & Similar Words
9
as in pays
to give what is owed for
settle a debt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
10
as in determines
to make final, definite, or beyond dispute
this information should settle the question of who is right
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
The agreement also settles two other disputes that have bogged down the case with appeals.
—
Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
The Moon settles into your 4th House of Home, where honesty builds trust quickly.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
Once the showers move out on Wednesday evening, drier weather settles in.
—Rachael Jay, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
The $4,000 agreement settles the case, the Inspector General’s Office said Tuesday.
—Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
Focus on flat ledges and horizontal trim where dust settles most heavily.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
Focus on flat ledges where dust settles and on any horizontal trim pieces that face upward.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Apr. 2026
Last, there’s a maturation phase when the new tissue settles into its final form and gains maximum strength.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026
The latter song exemplifies Martin’s neck-snappingly furious style; his drumming simply never settles.
—Dean Van Nguyen, Pitchfork, 22 Apr. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
The Moon settles into your 4th House of Home, where honesty builds trust quickly.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
Once the showers move out on Wednesday evening, drier weather settles in.
—Rachael Jay, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
The $4,000 agreement settles the case, the Inspector General’s Office said Tuesday.
—Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
Focus on flat ledges and horizontal trim where dust settles most heavily.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
Focus on flat ledges where dust settles and on any horizontal trim pieces that face upward.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Apr. 2026
Last, there’s a maturation phase when the new tissue settles into its final form and gains maximum strength.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026
The latter song exemplifies Martin’s neck-snappingly furious style; his drumming simply never settles.
—Dean Van Nguyen, Pitchfork, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for settles
Verb
-
The oak apple gall wasp Amphibolips spp female lays an egg inside the tissue of an oak leaf inside which the larvae will hatch.—
Pamm Cooper,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
-
The blooms also attract the parasitoid wasp that lays its eggs on tomato hornworms.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Over pinwheeling synths, Mahesh inhabits her narrator’s misplaced longing with gooey, heart-eyed delusion and sweetly pathetic determination.—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Olsen fully inhabits her role as a popular social media influencer and the object of Ingrid's obsession.—
Debby Wolfinsohn,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Deborah decides to apologize to Kelly at a restaurant, with hopes of getting the outfit.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
What California decides — and when — will matter at the national level.—
Ana Ceballos
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
The retreat also provides a complete, personalized meal plan and arranges transportation to and from the airport or train station, making the experience closer to an all-inclusive medical resort than a traditional spa visit.—
Lauren Schuster,
Sacbee.com,
6 May 2026
-
But elsewhere Margaret—who produced the record with longtime collaborator Doug Saltzman—arranges the same core sounds into more interesting, textured configurations, wielding millennial touchstones without the baggage.—
Linnie Greene,
Pitchfork,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Even the squirrels in the backyard and the bird that perches on the deck are put on notice.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Lech nestles along the eponymous river, tucked in amongst Austria’s westernmost mountains.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Boasting a playful curved lip that fits neatly in your palm and elegantly nestles one after the other in a stack, these wavy plates are an exceptionally sculptural way to set the table.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
26 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Speaking of dry skin, glycerin draws in hydration, colloidal oatmeal calms itchiness and irritation, and aloe provides an immediate, cooling relief when skin feels hot or reactive.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
2 May 2026
-
The lotion also has a cooling effect that calms inflammation.—
Rylee Johnston,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Barker’s other heroes include Nathan Fielder and Tim Robinson, comics whose work contains an undeniable dark streak, and who share his prankster’s spirit and high tolerance for unease.—
Alex Barasch,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
-
The system contains a black hole and a massive blue supergiant star orbiting each other.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Settles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/settles. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
