settled

settled — adjective

1. feeling relaxed and happy in a new place, job, or situation because you have bec

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

feeling relaxed and happy in a new place, job, or situation because you have become used to it

Example

After three months at the office, Tamar felt settled in her role as project manager.

feel settled in [role/place]

The children seem more settled at school now that they have made good friends.

Common collocations
  • feel settled
  • get settled
  • fully settled
  • settled in
Synonyms
  • comfortable

    broader — can refer to physical ease or emotional comfort; 'settled' specifically implies having adjusted over time

  • at home

    more informal; suggests a personal, warm feeling of belonging

  • adjusted

    focuses on the process of adapting; less about the resulting comfort

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

feel/get/seem + settled + in [place/role]

Usage Note

Often used with the verbs 'feel', 'get', 'seem', or 'look'. The preposition 'in' introduces the place, role, or situation where the person has become comfortable.

Common Mistakes

I feel settled with my new job.
I feel settled in my new job.
use 'in', not 'with', when referring to the place or role you are comfortable in.
She felt settled after only one day at the school.
She felt settled at the school after a few weeks.
feeling settled usually requires time to become familiar; a single day is rarely enough.

2. living in a particular place on a permanent basis, without expecting to move awa

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

living in a particular place on a permanent basis, without expecting to move away

Example

Linh and her husband are settled in Taipei and have no plans to move again.

be settled in [city] — living permanently

The older residents of the village have led a quiet, settled life for decades.

settled life — permanent, stable way of living

Common collocations
  • settled life
  • settled community
  • settled families
Synonyms
  • established

    more formal; can refer to a business or institution, not just a person's home

  • resident

    describes someone living in a place, but does not carry the sense of permanence

  • stationary

    rare for people; sounds technical or cold

Antonyms
  • nomadic

    moving from place to place without a permanent home

  • transient

    staying only for a short time

Grammar Patterns

be + settled + in [place]

lead a + settled + life

Usage Note

Unlike sense 1 (COMFORTABLE), this sense focuses on permanent residence rather than emotional comfort. Can also describe a community or population that is stable and not nomadic.

Common Mistakes

I am settled in my job' (when you mean you feel comfortable).
I feel settled in my job.
if the focus is on comfort and adjustment, use sense 1 with 'feel'.

3. used to describe weather that is calm, dry, and not likely to change suddenly

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

used to describe weather that is calm, dry, and not likely to change suddenly

Example

After a week of heavy rain, the weather has finally turned settled and sunny.

turned settled — weather becoming calm and stable

Forecasters say the settled conditions will continue until at least the middle of next week.

settled conditions — calm, stable weather

Common collocations
  • settled weather
  • settled conditions
  • settled spell
  • settled skies
Synonyms
  • calm

    broader — can describe wind, sea, or a person's mood; 'settled' is specific to stable, lasting conditions

  • stable

    more general; used for economies, relationships, and other systems, not just weather

  • fair

    describes pleasant weather, but does not emphasise the absence of change

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

settled + weather/conditions/skies

weather + turns/becomes + settled

Usage Note

Primarily used for weather and atmospheric conditions. Not used to describe people or situations. More common in British English than American English.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a state of ease, but they differ in scope and emphasis. 'Comfortable' is the broadest — it can describe physical ease (a comfortable chair), financial security (comfortable income), or emotional ease. 'Settled' adds the idea of having adjusted over time; you cannot feel settled ten minutes after arriving somewhere. 'At home' is more informal and suggests a warm, personal feeling of belonging, as if a place were your own home. 'Adjusted' focuses on the process of adapting — someone can be adjusted (having coped with change) without necessarily feeling comfortable. 'Content' describes a deeper, longer-lasting satisfaction with one's situation. For example: 'After a few weeks at her new school, Sophia felt settled and was making friends.' Here, 'settled' captures both the adjustment and the resulting comfort better than any of the alternatives.

comfortable ↗at home ↗adjustedcontent ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishOld FrenchEnglish

The adjective 'settled' comes from the verb 'settle', which entered English through Old English 'setlan' (to seat or place) and later Old French 'settler'. The original meaning was 'to place in a seat or fixed position'. Over time, 'settle' developed the sense of 'establish oneself in a place', and the past participle 'settled' began to be used as an adjective describing people who are established and comfortable, and later weather that is calm and stable.