# settle with

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/settle-with
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to pay someone the money you owe them or to reach an agreement to end a legal or financial problem.

For teachers: To pay a debt or resolve a dispute through a formal agreement. Transitive and inseparable; the object is typically the person or organization receiving payment or reaching the accord.

## Examples

- I will settle with the waiter before we leave the restaurant.
- The company decided to settle with the former employee to avoid a public and expensive court case.
- Despite the complexity of the litigation, both parties eventually agreed to settle with one another for an undisclosed amount to mitigate further legal expenses.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I need to settle the landlord." but "I need to settle with the landlord." — the preposition 'with' is necessary when the object is the person being paid; without it, the sentence is incomplete or incorrect.

## Usage notes

- commonly used in legal and financial contexts to describe the final resolution of a debt or claim.
- Teaching tip: distinguish from 'settle for', which implies accepting something less than ideal, whereas 'settle with' focuses on the act of payment or resolution.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.