Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to settle in

to settle in

132 3.3
To start to feel comfortable and at home in a new place or job
  • phrasal verb
  • /ˈsɛtəl ɪn/
translation icon : instalarse en
  • Once you get settled in, I think you'll like this place.
  • settle in a new place
  • immigrants settle in a country
  • settle in a city

And they they eventually settle in Portland, OR so still on the West Coast.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • Ms. Haverhill thought she'd give you a little time to get settled in.

    Master Gardener (2023)

  • Once you get settled in, you can start exploring your new neighborhood.

  • I want you to just settle in for a second, ground yourself in this moment.

  • But you know, we're settling in pretty quickly here to our winter.

  • So thank you so much for hanging out with me as I am getting settled in our new home here.

  • Listen, Charlotte really needs to get here on time because she needs the extra time to just settle in.

    This Is 40 (2012)

  • Arriving home after a long day, you settle in for a quiet evening alone.

  • I just need to find a place and settle in and rebuild my career.

    Melinda and Melinda (2004)

  • Once you've all settled in, I'm sure she'll fit in just fine.

    Disturbing Behavior (1998)

  • Just popped over to make sure you're settling in all right.

    Paws (1997)

Synonyms

to get used to
vsto settle in
514 2.4

Begin to feel comfortable with something that once felt strange

is about beginning to feel comfortable and settling in rather than slow familiarity
to adjust
vsto settle in
321 3.0

To get used to new conditions like a new place or routine

focuses more on starting to feel comfortable and adjusting emotionally rather than the action
to adapt to
vsto settle in
99 2.9

Slowly get used to a new place or situation

emphasizes initial comfort and settling rather than slow, gradual change
to settle into
vsto settle in
41 3.3

Become comfortable in a new place, job, or routine

is identical in meaning but uses the alternative prepositional form
to make yourself comfortable
vsto settle in
31 3.1

Sit down and relax as if you are at home

describes becoming comfortable over time and adjusting rather than instant relaxation
to acclimate
vsto settle in
25 5.2

To get used to a new climate, place, or situation

focuses more generally on settling and feeling comfortable in any context
to acclimatize
vsto settle in
  • US
4 6.1

To get used to a new climate or place

is broader, covering comfort and adjustment in any place, job, or situation
to hang one's hat
vsto settle in
7.0

Make a home and live in a place

refers more to beginning to feel comfortable and adjusting than permanent establishment

Antonyms

to feel uncomfortable
73 1.9

To be physically or emotionally uneasy

How Comfortable

to settle in
132 3.3
to get used to
514 2.4
to adjust
321 3.0

Surface Forms

settle in infinitive
settled in past
settled in past participle
settling in present participle
settles in third person singular

Morphology

settle + in

The meaning 'to begin to feel comfortable and adjust' is directly derivable from 'settle' (to take up residence / become established) plus the locative particle 'in' indicating becoming established within a place or situation. This compositional pattern is common across languages and in English phrasal verbs, so an average B1 learner who knows both constituents is likely to infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Settle in comes from the image of arriving at a new home, putting down your boxes and sitting down to rest, where settle means to come to rest and in shows being inside. So, settle in means 'to begin to feel comfortable' in a new place.