settled

Meanings

1. 1adjectivenot comparable

   Agreed or decided, with no remaining doubt or argument.

   Grammar: Used after linking verbs like be, seem, or get; it describes a state, not an action.

   Patterns

   • be settled
   • get settled
   • settled that-clause

   After months of talks, the dispute is finally settled.

   It is now settled that the meeting will take place on Friday.

   The question of who pays for the repairs is not yet settled.

2. 2adjectivenot comparable

   Calm, comfortable, and unlikely to change; feeling at home in a place or situation.

   Grammar: Often used after be or feel, and before nouns like life, home, or routine.

   Patterns

   • feel settled
   • settled in a place
   • settled life

   After two years in the new city, she finally feels settled.

   They have a settled routine that works well for the whole family.

   He seems more settled now that he has a steady job.

3. 3adjectivenot comparable

   Having a permanent home or way of life; no longer moving from place to place.

   Grammar: Usually before a noun, as in settled communities or settled people.

   Patterns

   • settled community
   • settled population
   • be settled in a country

   The settlers built a settled community along the river.

   Many formerly nomadic groups have become settled farmers.

   After years of travel, they were glad to be settled.

Common combinations

settled down

After college, he settled down in a small town and started a family.

settled in

It took her a few weeks to get settled in at the new office.

settled out of court

The company settled out of court to avoid a long trial.

well settled

The law on this point is well settled.

Synonyms and how they differ

resolved

More formal and often used for official decisions or problems; 'settled' is more general and can also describe a person's feelings.

decided

Focuses on the act of making a choice; 'settled' often suggests that the matter is closed and no longer discussed.

stable

Describes something that does not change easily; 'settled' can also suggest emotional comfort or a permanent home.

Opposites

Word family

settle verb

To end an argument, decide something, or begin to live in a place.

settlement noun

An official agreement that ends a disagreement, or a place where people have come to live.

settler noun

A person who moves to a new area or country to live there permanently.

Commonly confused: settled or settled?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “settled”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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