as in relaxing
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Dissimilar Words
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
Larry Neumeister, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2026
Yielding 32 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists to Wembanyama was how the Hornets (34-34) capped off their four-game, eight-day trip west of the Mississippi River, settling for a split.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 14 Mar. 2026
Some are fearful, however, that an old pattern of extraction without development may be settling in.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Lawyers told the judge Friday at a hearing in New York that seven states — Arkansas, Iowa, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina and South Dakota, all of which have Republican attorneys general — were joining the Justice Department in settling with the live music giant.
—ABC News, 13 Mar. 2026
Both essays make stark and rapid turns that defy traditional essay structure, moves that are destabilizing at the moment yet leave this reader exhilarated in the way Sloan circles back to her central concerns without ever settling for simple resolution.
—Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
Walker connected from beyond the arc to give Colorado its largest lead at 31-14 with six minutes left in the second period before settling for a 37-25 advantage at halftime.
—Dallas Morning News, 7 Mar. 2026
Both teams seem to be settling into a duel between two aces.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 6 Mar. 2026
Vizio Soundbar Deal Stop settling for thin, tiny TV speakers that pull you out of the story.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 6 Mar. 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
Lawyers told the judge Friday at a hearing in New York that seven states — Arkansas, Iowa, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina and South Dakota, all of which of Republican attorneys general — were joining the Justice Department in settling with the live music giant.
—Larry Neumeister, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2026
Yielding 32 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists to Wembanyama was how the Hornets (34-34) capped off their four-game, eight-day trip west of the Mississippi River, settling for a split.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 14 Mar. 2026
Some are fearful, however, that an old pattern of extraction without development may be settling in.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Lawyers told the judge Friday at a hearing in New York that seven states — Arkansas, Iowa, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina and South Dakota, all of which have Republican attorneys general — were joining the Justice Department in settling with the live music giant.
—ABC News, 13 Mar. 2026
Both essays make stark and rapid turns that defy traditional essay structure, moves that are destabilizing at the moment yet leave this reader exhilarated in the way Sloan circles back to her central concerns without ever settling for simple resolution.
—Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
Walker connected from beyond the arc to give Colorado its largest lead at 31-14 with six minutes left in the second period before settling for a 37-25 advantage at halftime.
—Dallas Morning News, 7 Mar. 2026
Both teams seem to be settling into a duel between two aces.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 6 Mar. 2026
Vizio Soundbar Deal Stop settling for thin, tiny TV speakers that pull you out of the story.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 6 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for settling
Adjective
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Designed for both entertaining and relaxing, Contigo offers multiple indoor and outdoor lounge spaces across her decks.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
12 Mar. 2026
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Taking public transportation to work can be a relaxing and pleasant experience if the options are clean, reliable, and safe.—
Torrey Snow,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The pro game has a way of filtering out two-way players with haste.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
18 Mar. 2026
-
These organs are divided into hundreds of tiny filtering units that help expel a ton of salt.—
Sara Kiley Watson,
Popular Science,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Geographic isolation and cold temperatures have actually hindered snakes from populating the wilds of many islands; New Zealand, Iceland and Greenland are all also snake-free.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
17 Mar. 2026
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Some of the people populating the world’s feeds are doing valuable work—the journalists and open-source-intelligence gatherers trying to confirm events and produce original reporting, for example.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Laporta responded to the crisis by deciding Barcelona could no longer afford Messi, who left for Paris Saint-Germain, and selling off some club assets, including 25% of its Spanish league TV rights for the next 25 years.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2026
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For instance, deciding when to apply for renewal is a challenge.—
Gregory Royal Pratt,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Throughout the year, guests can partake in flower arranging workshops, cooking classes, tastings, and seminars at the Culinary Academy with Executive Chef Riccardo Bacciottini.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Mar. 2026
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Madrazo also has great discernment in subtly arranging pictorial props, such as clothing, cards or flowers, that stage his winsome female figures to good effect.—
Benjamin Lima
Special Contributor,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Birds need a complete habitat that includes food, shelter, nesting areas and perching spots.—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
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The department recommends staggering bloom times to make sure hummingbirds have a food source for the entire season, as well as providing a source of water and trees or tall shrubs for nesting and perching.—
Maia Pandey,
jsonline.com,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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There’s excellent boutique shopping, a diverse range of cuisines to sample, and lodging options suitable for any size or type of travel group.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
12 Mar. 2026
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There is also plenty of lodging in the neighboring tourist town of Hot Springs.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The filmmaker shows a strong handle over the film’s fanciful tone and fitfully filthy sense of humor, and he’s credited with composing the film’s score full of squawking brass instruments and skittish strings in addition to writing, directing and editing.—
Stephen Saito,
Variety,
16 Mar. 2026
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After all, orchestrating pre-arranged scores is far easier than composing original music from scratch.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Settling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/settling. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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