'settle in' and 'settle down'

[Mack&Mack]

Dear helpers,

Are these two phrasal verbs interchangeable?

If possible, do you want to settle in the U.S.A?

If possible, do you want to settle down in the U.S.A?


I kept using 'settle in' so far, but today I realized that 'settle in' has the meaing of "getting used to". Would you let me know the difference?

Thank you all in advance. =)

 

[Trisia]

I think you're better off using "settle in the US."

To settle down (Click) means to take roots, to find a place and stay there, but not in the sense of moving to a place to stay - that's settling in, actually.

I used to travel a lot, but then I got married and settled down.
We were looking for a new place and we finally settled in Seattle.

Of course it's better to wait for more answers - I might be wrong.

 

[heshayershah]

Do we settle on an island, or in an island?

 

[Uncle Jack]

You settle on an island but in a country, so sometimes you have a choice. I would use 'in' for any island that is a country (Iceland, for example) or is something like (or used to be) a country (Zanzibar), but 'on' for smaller islands with no claim to an independent existence (Skye, for example)