settlement
noun
set·tle·ment
ˈse-tᵊl-mənt 
1
: the act or process of settling
2
a
: an act of bestowing or giving possession under legal sanction
b
: the sum, estate, or income secured to one by such a settlement
4
5
: an agreement composing differences
6
: payment or adjustment of an account
Synonyms
Examples of settlement in a Sentence
I got the house in the divorce settlement.
The parties have not been able to reach a settlement in the case.
We were hoping for a quick settlement of the dispute between the neighbors.
English settlements in North America.
This was the island's first colonial settlement.
They came upon the ruins of an ancient settlement.
Recent Examples on the Web
Yes, but: A city attorney earlier this month told the council that Cantrell believes the city can't afford to pay the lawsuit settlement and wants to renegotiate, reports The Times-Picayune.
—
Carlie Kollath Wells, Axios, 11 Feb. 2025
Hawaii's Supreme Court ruled Monday that insurance companies can't bring their own legal actions against those blamed for Maui's catastrophic 2023 wildfire, allowing a $4 billion settlement that was on the verge of collapse to proceed.
—CBS News, 10 Feb. 2025
The county also has paid tens of millions of dollars in legal settlements to the families of people who died in jail and to other people like Greer who suffered life-altering injuries while in custody.
—Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Feb. 2025
Presley and Keough came to a settlement agreement over the late singer’s trust that May, and it was officially approved by a judge in November 2023.
—Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 9 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for settlement 
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Carlie Kollath Wells, Axios, 11 Feb. 2025
Hawaii's Supreme Court ruled Monday that insurance companies can't bring their own legal actions against those blamed for Maui's catastrophic 2023 wildfire, allowing a $4 billion settlement that was on the verge of collapse to proceed.
—CBS News, 10 Feb. 2025
The county also has paid tens of millions of dollars in legal settlements to the families of people who died in jail and to other people like Greer who suffered life-altering injuries while in custody.
—Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Feb. 2025
Presley and Keough came to a settlement agreement over the late singer’s trust that May, and it was officially approved by a judge in November 2023.
—Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 9 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for settlement
Dictionary Entries Near settlement
Cite this Entry
“Settlement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/settlement. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
settlement
noun
set·tle·ment
ˈset-ᵊl-mənt
1
: the act of settling : the condition of being settled
2
: final payment (as of a bill)
3
a
: a place or region newly settled
b
: a small village
4
Legal Definition
settlement
noun
set·tle·ment
1
: the act or process of settling
2
a
: an agreement reducing or resolving differences
especially
: an agreement between litigants that concludes the litigation
the states finally agreed upon a settlement and a consent decree —W. J. Brennan, Jr.
W. J. Brennan, Jr. entered into a property settlement prior to the divorce
b
: a formal and permanent grant or conveyance
c
: the sum, estate, or income granted or paid under a settlement
if the monetary limits of a defendant's insurance policy can be discovered in order to obtain reasonable settlements—J. H. Friedenthal et al.
J. H. Friedenthal et al.3
: closing
settlement costs
4
: the transfer of funds between a payor bank and a collecting bank in order to complete transactions for customers
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