settles

present tense third-person singular of settle
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

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Relevance

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2
as in inhabits
to supply with inhabitants the region was originally settled by farmers

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3
4
5
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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6
7
8
as in contains
to gain emotional or mental control of settled himself only with visible effort after the angry outburst

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9
10
11
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 When the smoke settles (quite literally) and people return, their bodies suffer the consequences, and our hospitals have the evidence. Lahari Vuppaladhadiam, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025 That settles into a spicy suede with cardamom and benzoin, before warming into tonka bean, amber, and musk. Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 5 Sep. 2025 Without the presence of adequate airflow, the dust has no where to go and settles on various surfaces. Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025 Understanding these dynamics is a key piece in the puzzle of planet formation, as dust settles into larger layers including pebbles and rocks, and eventually planetary cores. Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 4 Sep. 2025 Still, the record’s title track, out now with an accompanying music video directed by Floria Sigismondi, settles into an expanse of solitude. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2025 The fundamental turnaround story continues, so for those that may have missed the bottom of this reversal there are two areas to watch to enter this name over the near-term (a rally back after the initial dust settles from today's reaction) and the longer-term. Jay Woods, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025 When Upticks Mislead That first spike is often curiosity, but real adoption settles in later. Achal Singi, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025 Just bet $5 on any MLB game tonight or a Week 1 NFL game like Cowboys-Eagles to get the bonus bets if your initial wager settles as a win. Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for settles
Verb
  • Paired with adaptive dampers, this hardware enables advanced driver-assistance features and lays the groundwork for future updates.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Overnight, crews will build hose lays along fire breaks and reinforce lines.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The festival inhabits empty buildings in Riga, exploring their potential and possible development strategies that could be used to regenerate them.
    Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
  • The pomegranate contains all the commandments of God in its seeds; the divine inhabits it.
    Demir Alp, JSTOR Daily, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Because Gateway cousin track New Hampshire kicks off the next round, and another cousin track, Phoenix, decides the championship.
    Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Dexter decides to gather all the files on him and other killers to take with him.
    Clayton Davis, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The Latest section, on the other hand, arranges posts and reels in chronological order, with the most recent ones appearing first.
    Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 4 Sep. 2025
  • At Zé Elídio’s compound, Janalice and other girls are assaulted before being handed over to Philippe Soutin, who arranges to auction them during the mayor’s birthday party.
    Isabella Wandermurem, Time, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • And frequent appearances by a pigeon that perches on her windowsill like a Greek chorus, mocking her self-abasement and growing detachment from reality, seem a tad heavy-handed.
    Book Marks August 28, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
  • The letters, which actors sometimes pose alongside (Oh perches punningly in the O), recall those giant signs which give tourists a place to take selfies.
    Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The way Skye nestles her head into the crook of her brother’s neck or drapes herself across his legs after an unembarrassed display of grief is ineffably moving.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Research shows that spending time in green spaces calms the nervous system and reduces stress.
    Jessica DuLong, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Cibrian runs lines with Rimes and calms his wife's nerves on the set.
    Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Eggplant also contains small amounts of vitamins C, K and B6.
    Bethany Thayer, Freep.com, 6 Sep. 2025
  • This article contains spoilers for Splitsville.
    Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Settles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/settles. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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