Settle down meaning
Settle down means to become calm and quiet, or make someone calm. It can also mean to start a quieter life in one place, often with a partner.
settle something down
settle down · settled · settling
OK, everyone, settle down. The lesson is starting.
Settle down meanings and examples
4 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Become calm and quiet, or make someone calm
settle something down
- OK, everyone, settle down. The lesson is starting.
- The baby finally settled down after midnight.
- The dogs are barking again. Can you settle them down?
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2
Start a quieter life in one place, often with a partner
settle down
- He travelled for years before he settled down.
- My parents want me to marry and settle down.
- I’m not ready to settle down yet.
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3
Start to feel happy and relaxed in a new place or situation
settle down
- She settled down quickly at her new school.
- It took our cat a week to settle down in the new flat.
- Have you settled down in your new job yet?
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4
Sit or lie in a comfortable position
settle down
- We settled down on the sofa to watch a film.
- The dog settled down by the fire and fell asleep.
- Kids, settle down in your seats. The show is starting.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use settle down in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is settle down separable?
Settle down usually has no object: The class settled down. When you calm someone, the person goes in the middle: settle the kids down, settle them down.
Settle down with someone means start a steady life with a partner. Settle down to + noun means start to do something seriously: settle down to work.
Verb tenses for settle down
| Present | I settle down · she settles down |
|---|---|
| Past | settled down |
| Present perfect | have settled down |
| -ing form | settling down |
Common mistakes with settle down
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: I want to settle down myself in a small town.
Right: I want to settle down in a small town.
Settle down needs no myself.
Wrong: She settled down with her new job very fast.
Right: She settled down in her new job very fast.
Use in for a place or job. With is for a partner.
Wrong: Settle down you! It’s late.
Right: Settle down! It’s late.
An order needs no you after the verb.
Synonyms and opposites of settle down
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- calm downstop being angry or excited; more common for feelings
- settle instart to feel at home in a new place; very close
- put down rootsstart a long life in one place
Opposite
- move aroundkeep changing where you live
- get worked upbecome very upset or excited
Settle down quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1The children were very excited, but they ___ after dinner.
Settle down means become calm and quiet.
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2Choose the right sentence.
Settle down needs no object; add in for the place.
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3“My brother travelled for years, but now he wants to settle down.” What does he want?
Settle down can mean start a steady life in one place.
Find your level
The phrasal verbs test adapts as you answer, from A2 to C1, and shows which ones you miss.
- put downB1place something you are holding on a table or the floor
- take downB2remove something from a wall or a high place, or take it apart
- come downA2move down to a lower place, towards the speaker
- go downB1become lower, like a price, a number or a temperature
- turn downB2say no to an offer, an invitation or a person
- break downB2stop working, used for cars and machines
- fall downB1drop to the ground from a standing position
- cut downB1eat, drink or use less of something
Settle down FAQ
Questions people ask about settle down.
What does settle down mean in a relationship?
It means start a steady life with one partner, often marrying, buying a home or having children. They want to settle down in a few years.
Settle down vs calm down: what is the difference?
Calm down is mostly about feelings, like anger. Settle down is more about noise and moving around, and it also means start a steady life.
Settle down vs settle in: what is the difference?
Settle in is only about getting used to a new place. Settle down can mean that too, but it also means become calm or start a quieter life.
Use settle down in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.