Words That Rhyme With "settling" — Rhymes for Songwriters & Poets
Settling carries a rich emotional ambiguity in songwriting and poetry - it can mean accepting less than you deserve, or the quiet act of finding peace in a place. The '-ling' ending places it in a rhyme family with words like 'meddling,' 'peddling,' and 'nettling,' making it a versatile tool in folk, country, and indie singer-songwriter genres. Its dual emotional weight - resignation versus contentment - gives lyricists room to play with tension and resolution.
What Rhymes With "settling"?
Perfect Rhymes
Near Rhymes
Slant Rhymes
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Famous uses of "settling" in music and poetry
Settling - John Mayer
Mayer uses 'settling' to capture romantic resignation, pairing it with near rhymes and conversational phrasing that underscores the emotional compromise at the heart of the lyric.
No Such Thing - John Mayer
Though not the title word, the thematic territory of not settling for less shapes the entire lyric structure and rhyme choices throughout the song.
The House That Built Me - Miranda Lambert
Lambert explores the theme of settling into identity and memory, using slant rhymes and earthy imagery that echo the emotional texture of the word 'settling.'
Frequently asked questions
What rhymes perfectly with settling?
Perfect rhymes for settling include meddling, peddling, nettling, kettling, fettling, and metaling - all share the stressed '-ettl-' or '-ettling' sound. These words are uncommon in everyday speech, which is why songwriters often prefer near or slant rhymes. Meddling and peddling are the most practical choices, often used to evoke conflict or hustle alongside the quieter act of settling.
What are near rhymes for settling?
Strong near rhymes include nestling, wrestling, testing, resting, besting, cresting, guessing, and pressing. Nestling is especially powerful because it shares the '-stl-' consonant cluster and evokes comfort and home, contrasting beautifully with the resignation often implied by settling. Resting and testing work well in country and folk settings.
What are slant rhymes for settling?
Useful slant rhymes include dwelling, telling, falling, calling, spelling, selling, feeling, and healing. Dwelling pairs thematically with settling since both relate to home and staying put. Feeling and healing offer emotional counterpoints that work well in introspective pop or Americana lyrics.
How do you use settling in a rap song?
In rap, settling is best used as an end-of-bar multisyllabic anchor, pairing with near rhymes like wrestling, nestling, or testing to create a flowing internal rhythm. Its three syllables make it ideal for triplet flows. Rappers can contrast the vulnerability of 'settling' with harder imagery to create emotional tension - for example, juxtaposing acceptance with ambition in back-to-back bars.
What is the best rhyme scheme for settling in poetry?
Because perfect rhymes for settling are sparse and unusual, an ABCB scheme works best - rhyming the second and fourth lines with near or slant rhymes like nestling or wrestling while leaving the settling line unrhymed. This creates a sense of incompleteness that mirrors the word's emotional meaning. Alternatively, an internal rhyme scheme using dwelling or telling in the same line as settling can create a satisfying sonic loop.
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