decide implies previous consideration of a matter causing doubt, wavering, debate, or controversy.
she decided to sell her house
determine implies fixing the identity, character, scope, or direction of something.
determined the cause of the problem
settle implies a decision reached by someone with power to end all dispute or uncertainty.
the dean's decision settled the campus alcohol policy
rule implies a determination by judicial or administrative authority.
the judge ruled that the evidence was inadmissible
resolve implies an expressed or clear decision or determination to do or refrain from doing something.
he resolved to quit smoking
Examples of settle in a Sentence
Verb
They were determined to settle the dispute before going home for the day.
The two sides have settled their differences.
We need to settle this question once and for all. That settles it. I can't take the day off from work, so I'm not going.
His grandparents were immigrants from Germany who settled in Pennsylvania.
He always thought he'd leave the city and settle in the country.
the people who settled the West
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Verb
The suit was eventually settled out of court, and the group signed a new recording contract yielding one of the biggest albums of the decade, 2000’s No Strings Attached, which sold 2.4 million copies in its first week.—Shirley Halperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Jan. 2025 Two days after giving birth, the parents eventually settled on Boston.—Ashley Vega, People.com, 28 Jan. 2025
Noun
McCartney’s single settles at No. 26 on the tally this time around, which now marks the tune’s loftiest placement on the competitive roster.—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025 Wins start to pile up later in the season once all that adjusting and transitioning and fitting settles in.—Nick Suss, The Tennessean, 29 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for settle
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, to seat, bring to rest, come to rest, from Old English setlan, from setl seat
Noun
Middle English, place for sitting, seat, chair, from Old English setl; akin to Old High German sezzal seat, Latin sella seat, chair, Old English sittan to sit
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