Settle

/ˈsɛ.təl/ name, noun, verb, slang

name, noun, verb, slang ·Top 500 ·Elementary level

Meaning at a glance

  • Primary sense: A seat of any kind.
  • Grammar: settle is listed as name, noun, verb, slang.
  • Nearest alternatives: decide, determine, abalienate, abide.
  • Useful contrasts: agitated, aspiring, chemical lab mixing.
  • Usage evidence: Two different parties with common interests were on the warpath when he cut in to settle the dispute.

How to use "settle"

  1. Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
  2. Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "settle" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
  3. Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.

Meaning check

  • Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
  • Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
  • Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
  • Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?

Source and review context

This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "settle" in a final draft.

If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.

Before you rely on this definition

Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "settle" as the right word for your sentence.

If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "settle" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.

Compare nearby meanings

  • Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
  • Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
  • Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
  • Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.

Definition decision workflow

1. Identify the role

Check whether "settle" is acting as name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.

2. Test the nearest option

Compare it with "decide" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.

3. Confirm with context

Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.

Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.

Final meaning check

Before publishing a sentence with "settle", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.

When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A seat of any kind. archaic

    "sit on a settle of joy with angels"

  2. 2
    a long wooden bench with a back wordnet
  3. 3
    A long bench with a high back and arms, often with chest or storage space underneath. archaic

    "Beneath its shade, the place of state, / On oaken settle Marmion sate, / And viewed around the blazing hearth."

  4. 4
    A place made lower than the rest; a wide step or platform lower than some other part. (Compare a depression.) obsolete

    "And from the bottom upon the ground, even to the lower settle, shall be two cubits, and the breadth one cubit."

Verb
  1. 1
    To conclude or resolve (something):; To determine (something which was exposed to doubt or question); to resolve conclusively; to set or fix (a time, an order of succession, etc). transitive

    "His fears were settled"

  2. 2
    come as if by falling wordnet
  3. 3
    To conclude or resolve (something):; To conclude, to cause (a dispute) to finish. transitive

    "to settle a quarrel"

  4. 4
    take up residence and become established wordnet
  5. 5
    To conclude or resolve (something):; To conclude, to cause (a dispute) to finish.; In particular, to terminate (a lawsuit), usually out of court, by agreement of all parties. transitive
Show 51 more definitions
  1. 6
    form a community wordnet
  2. 7
    To conclude or resolve (something):; To close, liquidate or balance (an account) by payment, sometimes of less than is owed or due. transitive

    "The coffee was only surface wet and looked worse than it actually was and as he returned to the Reception Desk to settle his account and give back his room key, he was met again by the young man who was still wearing his rucksack."

  3. 8
    become settled or established and stable in one's residence or life style wordnet
  4. 9
    To conclude or resolve (something):; To pay (a bill). colloquial, transitive

    "to settle a bill"

  5. 10
    make final; put the last touches on; put into final form wordnet
  6. 11
    To conclude or resolve (something):; To adjust differences or accounts; to come to an agreement on matters in dispute. intransitive

    "He has settled with his creditors."

  7. 12
    establish or develop as a residence wordnet
  8. 13
    To conclude or resolve (something):; To conclude a lawsuit by agreement of the parties rather than a decision of a court. intransitive

    "Of course, certainty is a value in all systems of conflict of laws—including those of the United States. Certainty for litigants decreases litigation and transaction costs and increases the chances that cases will settle."

  9. 14
    become resolved, fixed, established, or quiet wordnet
  10. 15
    To place or arrange in(to) a desired (especially: calm) state, or make final disposition of (something). transitive

    "to settle my affairs"

  11. 16
    bring to an end; settle conclusively wordnet
  12. 17
    To place or arrange in(to) a desired (especially: calm) state, or make final disposition of (something).; To put into (proper) place; to make sit or lie properly. transitive

    "The curate settled his collar, coughed, and, making an effort, knocked."

  13. 18
    settle conclusively; come to terms wordnet
  14. 19
    To place or arrange in(to) a desired (especially: calm) state, or make final disposition of (something).; To cause to no longer be in a disturbed, confused or stormy; to quiet; to calm (nerves, waters, a boisterous or rebellious child, etc). transitive

    "God settled then the huge whale-bearing lake, / And Tenedos we reach'd; [...]"

  15. 20
    end a legal dispute by arriving at a settlement wordnet
  16. 21
    To place or arrange in(to) a desired (especially: calm) state, or make final disposition of (something).; To silence, especially by force. British, dialectal, transitive
  17. 22
    come to terms wordnet
  18. 23
    To place or arrange in(to) a desired (especially: calm) state, or make final disposition of (something).; To kill. transitive

    "I poured a charge of powder over the nipple so as not tu miss goin' off if possible. Click! went the match,—up jumped the flock, or tried tu. As they bunched up, Peggy blazed intu 'em, settlin’ how many I didn't know, …"

  19. 24
    accept despite lack of complete satisfaction wordnet
  20. 25
    To place or arrange in(to) a desired (especially: calm) state, or make final disposition of (something).; To bring or restore (ground, roads, etc) to a smooth, dry, or passable condition. transitive

    "clear weather settles the roads"

  21. 26
    get one's revenge for a wrong or an injury wordnet
  22. 27
    To become calm, quiet, or orderly; to stop being agitated. intransitive

    "The weather settled."

  23. 28
    arrange or fix in the desired order wordnet
  24. 29
    To become calm, quiet, or orderly; to stop being agitated.; To become firm, dry, and hard, like the ground after the effects of rain or frost have disappeared. intransitive

    "The roads settled late in the spring."

  25. 30
    fix firmly wordnet
  26. 31
    To establish or become established in a steady position:; To place in(to) a fixed or permanent condition or position or on(to) a permanent basis; to make firm, steady, or stable; to establish or fix. transitive

    "And he settled his countenance stedfastly [upon him], until he was ashamed."

  27. 32
    sink down or precipitate wordnet
  28. 33
    To establish or become established in a steady position:; In particular, to establish in life; to fix in business, in a home, etc. transitive

    "Now thirteen Years of Age were ſwiftly run, / When the fond Father thought the time drew on / Of ſettling in the World his only Son."

  29. 34
    cause to become clear by forming a sediment (of liquids) wordnet
  30. 35
    To establish or become established in a steady position:; In particular, to establish in life; to fix in business, in a home, etc.; In particular, to establish in pastoral office; to ordain or install as pastor or rector of a church, society, or parish. US, obsolete, transitive

    "to settle a minister"

  31. 36
    become clear by the sinking of particles wordnet
  32. 37
    To establish or become established in a steady position:; To formally, legally secure (an annuity, property, title, etc) on (a person). transitive
  33. 38
    come to rest wordnet
  34. 39
    To establish or become established in a steady position:; To make a jointure for a spouse. intransitive, obsolete

    "He sighs with most success that settles well."

  35. 40
    settle into a position, usually on a surface or ground wordnet
  36. 41
    To establish or become established in a steady position:; To become married, or a householder. intransitive

    "As People marry now, and ſettle; / Fierce Love abates his uſual Mettle: [...]"

  37. 42
    go under wordnet
  38. 43
    To establish or become established in a steady position:; To be established in a profession or in employment. intransitive

    "He is settled in the profession of law at Rochester, New York."

  39. 44
    dispose of; make a financial settlement wordnet
  40. 45
    To establish or become established in a steady position:; To become stationary or fixed; to come to rest. intransitive, usually

    "But then the Wind came about, and ſetled in the West for many dayes, ſo as we could make little or no way, and were ſometimes in purpoſe to turne backe."

  41. 46
    To fix one's residence in a place; to establish a dwelling place, home, or colony. (Compare settle down.) intransitive

    "the Saxons who settled in Britain"

  42. 47
    To fix one's residence in a place; to establish a dwelling place, home, or colony. (Compare settle down.); To colonize (an area); to migrate to (a land, territory, site, etc). intransitive, transitive

    "the French first settled Canada"

  43. 48
    To move (people) to (a land or territory), so as to colonize it; to cause (people) to take residence in (a place). transitive

    "Rome began to settle displaced or disenfranchised citizens, veterans, and allies in colonies beyond Italy."

  44. 49
    To sink, or cause (something, or impurities within it) to sink down, especially so as to become clear or compact.; To clear or purify (a liquid) of dregs and impurities by causing them to sink. transitive

    "to settle coffee, or the grounds of coffee"

  45. 50
    To sink, or cause (something, or impurities within it) to sink down, especially so as to become clear or compact.; To cause to sink down or to be deposited (dregs, sediment, etc). transitive

    "to settle the sediment out of the water"

  46. 51
    To sink, or cause (something, or impurities within it) to sink down, especially so as to become clear or compact.; To render compact or solid; to cause to become packed down. transitive

    "to settle the chips in the potato chip bag by shaking it"

  47. 52
    To sink, or cause (something, or impurities within it) to sink down, especially so as to become clear or compact.; To sink to the bottom of a body of liquid, as dregs of a liquid, or the sediment of a reservoir. intransitive
  48. 53
    To sink, or cause (something, or impurities within it) to sink down, especially so as to become clear or compact.; To sink gradually to a lower level; to subside, for example the foundation of a house, etc. intransitive

    "Sometimes a tub will settle at one corner, causing the rim to slope."

  49. 54
    To sink, or cause (something, or impurities within it) to sink down, especially so as to become clear or compact.; To become compact due to sinking. intransitive

    "The chips in the bag of potato chips settled during shipping."

  50. 55
    To sink, or cause (something, or impurities within it) to sink down, especially so as to become clear or compact.; To become clear due to the sinking of sediment. (Used especially of liquid. Also used figuratively.) intransitive

    "wine settles by standing"

  51. 56
    Of an animal: to make or become pregnant. ambitransitive

    "Some mares do not show signs of being in heat even when tried ("teased") regularly with a stallion, but they often can be settled either by natural or artificial service, provided the approximate time of ovulation is determined and they are not suffering from either a diseased or abnormal condition of the reproductive system."

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England, previously in Craven district (OS grid ref SD816640). countable, uncountable
  2. 2
    An unincorporated community in Allen County, Kentucky, United States. countable, uncountable
  3. 3
    A habitational surname from Old English. countable, uncountable

Synonyms

All synonyms
decidedetermineabalienateabideaccommodateaccommodate with

Antonyms

agitatedaspiringchemical lab mixingconflicting

Example

"Two different parties with common interests were on the warpath when he cut in to settle the dispute."

Common questions

What does "settle" mean?

A seat of any kind.

What is a synonym for "settle"?

Common synonyms include: decide, determine, abalienate, abide, accommodate, accommodate with.

How do you use "settle" in a sentence?

Two different parties with common interests were on the warpath when he cut in to settle the dispute.

How do you pronounce "settle"?

Pronounced /ˈsɛ.təl/.

Etymology

Etymology 1

From a merger of two verbs: * Middle English setlen, from Old English setlan (“to settle, seat, put to rest”), from Old English setl (“seat”) (compare Dutch zetelen (“to be established, settle”)) and * Middle English sahtlen, seihtlen (“to reconcile, calm, subside”), from Old English sahtlian, ġesehtlian (“to reconcile”), from Old English saht, seht (“settlement, agreement, reconciliation, peace”) (see saught, -le). German siedeln (“to settle”) is related to the former of the two verbs, but is not an immediate cognate of either of them.

Etymology 2

From Middle English settle, setle, setel, setil, seotel, from Old English setl (“that upon which one sits, a seat, a settle, a place to sit”), from Proto-Germanic *setlaz (“a seat; arm-chair”), representing Proto-Indo-European *sed-lo-, from *sed- (“sit”). Cognate with Dutch zetel, German Sessel, Latin sella.

Etymology 3

From Old English setl (“sitting, residence”).

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