Meaning trap
settle down
start a stable life
To begin living a quieter, more regular life, often by getting married, starting a family, or staying in one place.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
To begin living a quieter, more regular life, often by getting married, starting a family, or staying in one place.
Another meaning of 'settle down' is 'become calm'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
After traveling for years, she decided it was time to settle down and buy a house.
Many people choose to settle down in their late twenties, especially when they want to focus on their careers or start a family.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: They want to settle down a family.
Say: They want to settle down and start a family.
'Settle down' is intransitive here — you don't 'settle down' something.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Settle down' carries the whole idea of putting down roots; the formal paraphrase sounds like a mission statement.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
settle down + life stage
- and start a family
- in one place
- with someone
- eventually
Don't confuse it
Related
Other meanings and phrases to compare.
- settle down (become calm) — Another meaning of 'settle down' is 'become calm'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.