SETTLE Synonyms: 264 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'settle' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of settle are decide , determine , resolve , and rule . While all these words mean "to come or cause to come to a conclusion," settle implies a decision reached by someone with power to end all dispute or uncertainty. // the dean's decision settled the campus alcohol policy

Q: When might 'decide' be a better fit than 'settle'?

While in some cases nearly identical to settle , decide implies previous consideration of a matter causing doubt, wavering, debate, or controversy. // she decided to sell her house

Q: When is it sensible to use 'determine' instead of 'settle'?

The words determine and settle can be used in similar contexts, but determine implies fixing the identity, character, scope, or direction of something. // determined the cause of the problem

Q: When would 'resolve' be a good substitute for 'settle'?

In some situations, the words resolve and settle are roughly equivalent. However, resolve implies an expressed or clear decision or determination to do or refrain from doing something. // he resolved to quit smoking

Q: In what contexts can 'rule' take the place of 'settle'?

Although the words rule and settle have much in common, rule implies a determination by judicial or administrative authority. // the judge ruled that the evidence was inadmissible

settle

verb

ˈse-tᵊl

Definition of settle

as in to lay

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to inhabit

to supply with inhabitants the region was originally settled by farmers

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to decide

to give an opinion about (something at issue or in dispute) settled the lawsuit in favor of the defendant

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to arrange

to come to an agreement or decision concerning the details of settled their wedding plans without any major disagreements

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as in to perch

to come to rest after descending from the air birds settling on the branches of the maple tree

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to lodge

to establish or place comfortably or snugly settled the sleeping baby into her crib

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as in to calm

to free from distress or disturbance a hot meal settled the children down

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to contain

to gain emotional or mental control of settled himself only with visible effort after the angry outburst

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as in to pay

to give what is owed for settle a debt

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repudiate

as in to determine

to make final, definite, or beyond dispute this information should settle the question of who is right

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as in to shush

to stop the noise or speech of settled the class with a firm "quiet!"

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stir
agitate

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb settle differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of settle are decide, determine, resolve, and rule. While all these words mean "to come or cause to come to a conclusion," settle implies a decision reached by someone with power to end all dispute or uncertainty.

the dean's decision settled the campus alcohol policy

When might decide be a better fit than settle?

While in some cases nearly identical to settle, decide implies previous consideration of a matter causing doubt, wavering, debate, or controversy.

she decided to sell her house

When is it sensible to use determine instead of settle?

The words determine and settle can be used in similar contexts, but determine implies fixing the identity, character, scope, or direction of something.

determined the cause of the problem

When would resolve be a good substitute for settle?

In some situations, the words resolve and settle are roughly equivalent. However, resolve implies an expressed or clear decision or determination to do or refrain from doing something.

he resolved to quit smoking

In what contexts can rule take the place of settle?

Although the words rule and settle have much in common, rule implies a determination by judicial or administrative authority.

the judge ruled that the evidence was inadmissible

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 settle Almost one year ago, paleontologists finally settled a longstanding debate about Tyrannosaurus rex, arguably Earth’s most famous dinosaur. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2026 In the best-case scenario, those flaws can be worked through and improved upon as the Leafs settle in and get used to new systems and new teammates. — James Mirtle, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026 Mitchell's family lived on several bases during World War II before eventually settling in Saskatoon, which the singer has often referred to as her hometown. — Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026 Key Takeaways October planting lets shrub roots settle before winter and prepare for summer heat. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for settle

Recent Examples of Synonyms for settle

Verb

Yes, your brain might go to angular guitars, but to lay claim to that genre, all a band really needs to do is make certain their music is not simply punk.

— Brendan Hay, SPIN, 12 Oct. 2026
Four years ago, after helping found Matter, Apple rebuilt HomeKit’s underlying architecture and revamped the Home app, laying a strong foundation.

— Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of lay

Verb

And in the event that someone wasn’t aware of what Children of Blood and Bone was, the panel did its job, promising an exuberant, swaggering epic with a charming cast to inhabit it.

— Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
The dwellings were built within Cliff Dweller Canyon and inhabited by people of the Mogollon Culture between the late 1270s and 1300.

— Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of inhabit

Verb

Bruni said the pope's doctors would decide if there were any changes expected to his discharge date.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
Where the thresholds sit, which harms count, who audits what – that’s for legislators, lawyers, technologists and ethicists to decide.

— Giorgos Tsetis, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of decide

Verb

For a bit of an over-the-top perk, the concierge is able to arrange helicopter services to NASA through its rooftop helipad, as well as myriad other special excursions.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2026
While Sabrina’s identical twin sister, Virginia, was arranged to marry a Chinese American man in the States who spoke no Cantonese, Sabrina wouldn’t let her parents stop their love— or stop her from getting pregnant.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of arrange

Verb

Many longtime residents have developed habits to calm their minds during these exceptional conditions — meditation, a dip in the ocean to trigger the calming mammalian dive response, support groups to talk through the pain.

— Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Winds are expected to calm Friday evening, and skies will clear.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of calm

Verb

This post contains spoilers for The Diplomat Season 4, now streaming on Netflix.

— Peter White, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
The researchers started by making a single, long protein that contained the protease, the sequence it was designed to target, and a fluorescent protein.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of contain

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setting upon

settle

settled

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Settle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/settle. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of settle

verb

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Synonyms of settle

verb

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Phrases Containing settle

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Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on settle

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

fervid

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The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

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Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

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16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

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Games & Quizzes