settled 1 of 2

adjective

1
as in deep
firmly established over time a remote village with a settled distrust of outsiders

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Relevance

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2
as in stable
having been established and usually not subject to change settled rules that cannot be disregarded when it is convenient to do so

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settled

2 of 2

verb

past tense of settle
1
as in filtered
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 populated
to supply with inhabitants the region was originally settled by farmers

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3
as in decided
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 arranged
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 perched
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 lodged
to establish or place comfortably or snugly settled the sleeping baby into her crib

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7
as in calmed
to free from distress or disturbance a hot meal settled the children down

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8
as in contained
to gain emotional or mental control of settled himself only with visible effort after the angry outburst

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9
as in paid
to give what is owed for settle a debt

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10
as in determined
to make final, definite, or beyond dispute this information should settle the question of who is right

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11
as in shushed
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 settled
Adjective
In settled possession, expect to see fluidity from the midfielders. — Liam Tharme, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026 Jacobs launched Marc by Marc Jacobs in 2001, cementing his eventual status as a fashion mogul — and, at moments throughout his career, as a kind of enfant terrible who, as it’s shown in this documentary, has cooled down a bit, more settled and reflective in his late career. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 26 Feb. 2026 Of course the categories may overlap, but many of the young people in Astoria or Ridgewood-Bushwick have grown up in their parents’ homes in more settled parts of the city. — Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025 Erin Simkin—Netflix Advertisement Under Konner and Kaplan, Nobody Wants This has grown into a more settled and expansive show. — Esther Zuckerman, Time, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
Step 4 Give batter a good stir, scraping bottom of blender jar to reincorporate any flour that has settled. — Julia Sherman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026 For years, the SEC and CFTC had not settled that question clearly enough for the market to move with confidence, creating friction when there was none to begin with. — Manny Khan, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 For more than 300 years, people have settled around the soaring marble shrine of the Sufi saint known as Bari Imam, nestled at the foothills of the Himalayas. — Diaa Hadid, NPR, 1 Sep. 2026 He was released into the country and settled in Springfield with his parents and two brothers. — Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026 Recent launch events have mostly settled into a predictable cadence of incremental camera upgrades and routine spec bumps. — Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026 The case was settled Thursday, according to federal court documents. — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026 People who settled here have a very bold spirit and a kind of grit that was required to make it. — Christine Lennon, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026 Fans crowded with journalists outside a Paris hotel as the Grammy-winning star settled in to prepare her residency of 16 shows in September and October at the Plenitude Arena in the French capital's western suburbs. — Arkansas Online, 30 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for settled
  1. deep
  2. stable
  3. filtered
  4. populated
  5. decided
  6. arranged
  7. perched
  8. lodged
Adjective
  • Core aerators remove plugs about 2 to 4 inches deep and around 1/2-inch wide, and spaced about 2 to 6 inches apart, dropping them on the lawn surface.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Lovano expressed deep gratitude to Collins for steering the festival for many years and keeping the atmosphere alive.
    — Duante Beddingfield, Freep.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of deep
Adjective
  • Dark matter has never been detected, but it is believed to make up 85% of the total matter in the universe and help hold stars and galaxies in stable orbits.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
  • At the time of transport, two patients were in serious condition and four were in stable condition.
    — Nour Rahal, Freep.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of stable
Verb
  • These metabolites are filtered by the kidneys and excreted in urine.
    — Ayesha Gulzar, Verywell Health, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The set list spans her 14-year career, with even the most pop-forward selections filtered through thunderous percussion and earsplitting guitars.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of filtered
Verb
  • This situates it alongside the North Atlantic ocean that's populated with a variety of different kinds of whales.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Last awards season, the gossip around town, salacious and disturbing in equal measure, was that hotel suites all over Hollywood were populated by tailors taking in gowns coming straight off the runway.
    — Marti Noxon, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of populated
Verb
  • Leading the way in court There are dozens of cases across the country surrounding the legal status of prediction sites, and experts believe the matter will eventually be decided by the Supreme Court.
    — Marshall Cohen, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
  • For decades, an attacker discovered a vulnerability, a security tool generated an alert, an analyst investigated it, the issue was escalated and eventually someone decided what to do.
    — Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of decided
Verb
  • Gayle Conran Each of the ryokans served set meals, kaiseki-style, elaborately arranged, with an array of 12 or more small lacquer and porcelain dishes.
    — Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The printing process can also control how different materials are arranged, allowing different sections of an object to respond differently.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of arranged
Verb
  • And when the sun starts its nightly descent, grab an aperitivo at Terrazza Campari, perched just above the resort’s pristine sandy cove and crystal-blue waters.
    — Stephanie Orma, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Emirates’ massive suite, which is perched over the center of Ashe, is being remodeled this year to emulate the spacious lounges and curved bar on its double-decker Airbus 380 planes.
    — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of perched
Verb
  • Despite surgery, however, the bullet lodged inside his abdomen was not found, and his condition suddenly deteriorated.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Castro is accused of firing a gun through the front door of a Minneapolis home, striking Sosa-Celis in the leg with a bullet that lodged in a child’s bedroom wall.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of lodged

Browse Nearby Words

settle
settled
settled (down)
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Cite this Entry

“Settled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/settled. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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