Meaning & use

settlement

noun·Academic

A place where people establish a community, or an agreement that resolves a dispute or debt.

See it in a sentence

Archaeologists uncovered the remains of an ancient settlement near the river.

The two companies reached a settlement rather than continuing the costly lawsuit.

A note on using this word

Settlement can refer to a physical community of people or, quite differently, to a formal agreement ending a conflict or legal claim.

Words with a similar meaning

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Words with an opposite meaning

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