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
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.
Great bergs of ice break away intact, roll forth, settle down, and turn into ponds. John McPhee, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025 High School Sports Legendary Palisades High tennis coach Bud Kling lost his home in Palisades fire Jan. 10, 2025 Santa Margarita coach Justin Bell called two important timeouts to settle down his players when JSerra was closing deficits. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025 Now, after more than a decade in France and Japan, the former Valley Center High School quarterback is ready to settle down. John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Jan. 2025 At the same time, players would tactically adjust and then things might settle down again. Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for settle down 

Dictionary Entries Near settle down

Cite this Entry

“Settle down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/settle%20down. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on settle down

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!