settle down

verb

"settle-down" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“settle down” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
11
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To make or become quiet and calm after a period of disturbance or restlessness.

Key facts for settle down
PropertyValue
Headwordsettle down
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
Letters11
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “settle down” sits in English frequency

settle down falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for settle down is 11 letters long, classified as a verb. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No misspelling variants are generated for settle down in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so any spelling logic here comes from how the word's sounds map to letters, not a documented origin story. The correct English form is settle down, spelled S-E-T-T-L-E- -D-O-W-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make or become quiet and calm after a period of disturbance or restlessness.
  2. 2
    To establish a settled lifestyle for oneself, especially by marrying.
  3. 3
    To grow comfortable and familiar with one's new accommodation or circumstances.

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "settle down"?
"settle down" is spelled S-E-T-T-L-E- -D-O-W-N.
What does "settle down" mean?
As a verb, "settle down" means: To make or become quiet and calm after a period of disturbance or restlessness.
What language does "settle down" come from?
"settle down" is a English word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “settle down”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-E-T-T-L-E- -D-O-W-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list