settles

Definition of settlesnext
present tense third-person singular of settle
1
as in lays
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 inhabits
to supply with inhabitants the region was originally settled by farmers

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3
4
5
as in perches
to come to rest after descending from the air birds settling on the branches of the maple tree

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6
7
8
as in contains
to gain emotional or mental control of settled himself only with visible effort after the angry outburst

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9
10
11
as in shushes
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 settles The Moon settles into your 4th House of Home, where honesty builds trust quickly. Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026 Once the showers move out on Wednesday evening, drier weather settles in. Rachael Jay, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026 The $4,000 agreement settles the case, the Inspector General’s Office said Tuesday. Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026 Focus on flat ledges and horizontal trim where dust settles most heavily. Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026 Focus on flat ledges where dust settles and on any horizontal trim pieces that face upward. Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Apr. 2026 Last, there’s a maturation phase when the new tissue settles into its final form and gains maximum strength. Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2026 The latter song exemplifies Martin’s neck-snappingly furious style; his drumming simply never settles. Dean Van Nguyen, Pitchfork, 22 Apr. 2026 Cat hair regularly settles on my desk, keyboard, and glass dresser top, and a few swipes with this duster (dampened) picks it all up. Kayla Blanton, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for settles
Verb
  • Continue reading … POLITICS MAPS AND MAYHEM — Virginia’s redistricting war lays bare state's sharp partisan turn as legal fight looms.
    , FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
  • The legislation lays the groundwork for roughly $70 billion in funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.
    Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Over pinwheeling synths, Mahesh inhabits her narrator’s misplaced longing with gooey, heart-eyed delusion and sweetly pathetic determination.
    Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Olsen fully inhabits her role as a popular social media influencer and the object of Ingrid's obsession.
    Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Whatever the team decides, Lomu sounds happy to oblige.
    Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
  • If two of the richest companies in the world are racing to control the sky, who decides how that access is priced and delivered?
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • But elsewhere Margaret—who produced the record with longtime collaborator Doug Saltzman—arranges the same core sounds into more interesting, textured configurations, wielding millennial touchstones without the baggage.
    Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 29 Apr. 2026
  • In the weeks before the draft, a team of decision-makers gathers there and hears reports on each player, discusses them and arranges the players on the board by a grade.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Live streams from entertainment events like the Grammys or Golden Globes aren’t typically perches for controversy, but, says Anthony McCartney, AP’s entertainment and lifestyles editor, celebrities will sometimes be asked to weigh in on recent headlines.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 16 Mar. 2026
  • Even the squirrels in the backyard and the bird that perches on the deck are put on notice.
    Sherri Gordon, Parents, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Lech nestles along the eponymous river, tucked in amongst Austria’s westernmost mountains.
    Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Boasting a playful curved lip that fits neatly in your palm and elegantly nestles one after the other in a stack, these wavy plates are an exceptionally sculptural way to set the table.
    Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 26 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • However, when the island air calms down in the evening, their delightful fragrance is very evident.
    Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 17 Apr. 2026
  • Moisturizer calms and plumps your skin, which makes your tone look more uniform — even without makeup.
    Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • On a Back Porch offers a bite-size portion (or perhaps a better analogy would be a beer flight) of what the Dead’s vault contains.
    Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 26 Apr. 2026
  • The bathroom is accessed from the kitchen via a pocket door and contains a shower (with a curtain or optional glass enclosure), a sink, and a choice of flushing, composting, or incinerating toilet, plus a washer/dryer.
    Adam Williams April 25, New Atlas, 25 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Settles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/settles. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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