settle down
phrasal verb
settled down; settling down; settles down
1
: to become quiet, calm, or orderly
Settle down, children.
When things settle down here, I'll come for a visit.
2
: to begin to live a quiet and steady life by getting a regular job, getting married, etc.
They swore they would never settle down and get married.
3
: to put oneself into a comfortable position
He settled down for the night.
4
: to become quiet and begin giving one's attention to something
They quickly settled down to their work.
Examples of settle down in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Campbell eventually settled down with the rest of the Patriots offensive line in pass protection in the second half.
—
Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 13 Jan. 2026
Just don’t understand the attraction of settling down with a book and scaring yourself half to death.
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 12 Jan. 2026
Goaltender Drew Commesso didn’t get the chance to settle down as the Capitals rang three first-period goals on the 23-year-old.
—Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2026
Eventually the tables settled down, as applause rippled across the room at the announcement of each of the 10 film and TV winners and their clips.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 9 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Settle down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/settle%20down. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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