What does resettled mean?
Resettled is the past tense and past participle of resettle, meaning to settle again after a displacement, disturbance, or change. The word most often describes people or communities who have been moved and then established themselves in another place, as in refugees being resettled in temporary housing or villagers resettled after a disaster. It can also describe the restoration of an arrangement, such as a dispute resettled through negotiation. The prefix re- indicates repetition rather than a completely new action, although the second settlement may occur in a markedly different location. In everyday use, resettled often carries the implication of recovering stability after disruption. It is especially common in reports about migration, conflict, housing, and public policy, but it can apply equally to personal matters, institutions, and abstract situations.
verbSettled again in a place, situation, or arrangement, especially after having been displaced or disturbed. It can also refer to people or communities establishing themselves anew in a different location.
- To become established again in a place or situation after having been displaced or disturbed.
- To cause people, communities, or land to be established again in a new location.
"The families were resettled in temporary accommodation while their homes were repaired."
"Thousands of residents were resettled in other villages after the flood."
"The committee resettled the dispute by revising the proposed boundary."
A word for a second beginning: resettled describes people or communities starting over in a new place after their first home has become unsafe or unavailable.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does resettled come from?
Resettled is formed in English by combining the prefix re-, meaning "again," with settle. The verb settle ultimately comes through Old French from Latin sedere, meaning "to sit." The prefixed form resettle was established before the modern inflection resettled and preserves the original sense of occupying or establishing oneself again.
Related word forms
How resettled is actually used
The word is neutral in tone but is used especially in contexts of displacement, relocation, housing, conflict, and public policy. As an intransitive verb, it commonly takes a location phrase introduced by "in," "at," or "on."
Easily confused with resettled
Settled can describe someone already established in a place or situation, whereas resettled specifically means that the person or community has settled again after a displacement or interruption.