as in relaxing
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1
as in filtering
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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2
as in populating
to supply with inhabitants
the region was originally settled by farmers
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3
as in deciding
to give an opinion about (something at issue or in dispute)
settled the lawsuit in favor of the defendant
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4
as in arranging
to come to an agreement or decision concerning the details of
settled their wedding plans without any major disagreements
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5
as in perching
to come to rest after descending from the air
birds settling on the branches of the maple tree
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6
as in lodging
to establish or place comfortably or snugly
settled the sleeping baby into her crib
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7
as in composing
to free from distress or disturbance
a hot meal settled the children down
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8
as in containing
to gain emotional or mental control of
settled himself only with visible effort after the angry outburst
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9
as in paying
to give what is owed for
settle a debt
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10
as in determining
to make final, definite, or beyond dispute
this information should settle the question of who is right
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11
as in shushing
to stop the noise or speech of
settled the class with a firm "quiet!"
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of settling
Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2026
Robert Zubrin, who has thought more about settling Mars than perhaps anyone alive today, thinks that Martian children would have to work a lot more than most kids do on Earth these days.
—Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026
Mamdani made housing a key pillar of his mayoral campaign last year but is now settling into governing the country’s largest city, which holds its largest homeless population.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 20 Feb. 2026
Chipotle rose at the perfect time and place, as massive burritos spread across the country during the 1990s and 2000s, especially settling in college towns and gentrifying neighborhoods where young people wanted fast and filling Mexican food but slightly more elevated than fast food.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Leading 2-0 after 56 minutes at Molineux, Arsenal was cruising towards a nerve-settling win.
—ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
American Olympian Jordan Stolz just missed out on picking up his third gold medal at the 2026 Winter Games on Thursday, settling for a silver in the men’s speedskating 1,500-meter event.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 19 Feb. 2026
So perhaps there’s something like a settling accounts in this work — or not exactly that, but trying to affirm my own choice.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 19 Feb. 2026
By 2025, the family was finally settling into its new rhythms.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Individuals who remain in the class and submit valid claims release their rights to sue Cargill or Tyson over the same allegations, but retain any rights against non-settling defendants.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
Across neighborhoods in San Francisco, Larkspur, the Tahoe basin and beyond, the loss is settling in — at dinner tables, in school drop-offs and along a mountainside waiting for the weather to shift.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2026
Robert Zubrin, who has thought more about settling Mars than perhaps anyone alive today, thinks that Martian children would have to work a lot more than most kids do on Earth these days.
—Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026
Mamdani made housing a key pillar of his mayoral campaign last year but is now settling into governing the country’s largest city, which holds its largest homeless population.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 20 Feb. 2026
Chipotle rose at the perfect time and place, as massive burritos spread across the country during the 1990s and 2000s, especially settling in college towns and gentrifying neighborhoods where young people wanted fast and filling Mexican food but slightly more elevated than fast food.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Leading 2-0 after 56 minutes at Molineux, Arsenal was cruising towards a nerve-settling win.
—ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026
American Olympian Jordan Stolz just missed out on picking up his third gold medal at the 2026 Winter Games on Thursday, settling for a silver in the men’s speedskating 1,500-meter event.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 19 Feb. 2026
So perhaps there’s something like a settling accounts in this work — or not exactly that, but trying to affirm my own choice.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 19 Feb. 2026
By 2025, the family was finally settling into its new rhythms.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for settling
Adjective
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Stay overnight at Lake Arrowhead Resort and Spa for a relaxing evening of waterfront dining and alpine views from its private beach.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Feb. 2026
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Like the den, the walls of the guest house are painted a warm green hue for a relaxing feel.—
Lisa Boone,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In a nutshell, wastewater recycling works by first physically filtering the water, then subjecting it to reverse osmosis, and finally purifying it with ultraviolet light.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
25 Feb. 2026
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Instead of flooding analysts with thousands of warnings, the agents gather evidence in real time—querying threat-intelligence databases, analyzing behavioral patterns, and filtering out false positives—before deciding whether a situation warrants escalation.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That may be a key factor in populating a third useful line for the postseason.—
Allan Mitchell,
New York Times,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Created by procedural mega-producer Dick Wolf, Chicago Med follows the medical personnel populating a bustling emergency room in a fictional Chicago hospital.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The rigidity of that system is one of the reasons Liu quit the sport at 16, before deciding to return, on her own terms, two years later.—
Alice Park,
Time,
22 Feb. 2026
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But officials held off on deciding whether to open schools Monday for the time being.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The victims were women whom the attacker had come to him after arranging a date on an escort application, police said.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Top with butter pieces, arranging evenly over surface.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In 2025, there was the Owl Arm Trend, in which Gen Z TikTokers contorted their bodies (and stretched their T-shirts) to mimic the shape of a perching owl, clinging to their friend’s arm.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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Other photos show it while perching on the plant.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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There is lodging at the base, but the atmosphere skews practical rather than aspirational.—
Caroline Tell,
CNN Money,
25 Feb. 2026
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On the other side of the aisle, Texas Democrat Al Green was quickly escorted out of the room by the sergeant at arms after lodging a protest, as has become tradition.—
Aidan McLaughlin,
Vanity Fair,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Here’s where the tough-on-crime folks will begin composing their angry emails.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
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Lama provides an artist-friendly approach to composing materials built from layers representing distinct physical phenomena.—
Kimberly Nordyke,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Settling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/settling. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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