Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

1

cuddle

play
verb cud·dle \ˈkə-dəl\

Definition of cuddle

cuddled

;

cuddling

play \ˈkəd-liŋ, ˈkə-dəl-iŋ\
  1. transitive verb

  2. :  to hold close for warmth or comfort or in affection He cuddled the puppy.

  3. intransitive verb

  4. :  to lie close or snug :  nestle, snuggle … dewy glens where couples cuddle on blankets … — Bob Sipchen

cuddler

play \ˈkəd-lər, ˈkə-dəl-ər\ noun

See cuddle defined for English-language learners

See cuddle defined for kids

Read the Latest from M-W

decimate-video
Is it wrong to use 'decimate' to mean 'destroy'?
istock-refers-to-this-as-a-tumble-of-strawberries-which-sounded-pretty-nice-to-us
June 2017 Words of the Day Quiz
alt-594ab41a604d2
Trending: Kim and Kanye Might Have Hired a Surrogate Mother
image599301899
Pretty in 'Pink'

Examples of cuddle in a Sentence

  1. Let's cuddle by the fire.

  2. kittens cuddling in a basket

Origin and Etymology of cuddle

origin unknown

cuddle Synonyms

Synonyms
nuzzle, nestle, snoozle [chiefly dialect], snuggle
Related Words
curl up; crouch, huddle
Near Antonyms
blench, flinch, quail, recoil, shrink, shy, start, wince
2

cuddle

noun cud·dle

Definition of cuddle

  1. :  a close embrace

Origin and Etymology of cuddle

see 1cuddle

CUDDLE Defined for English Language Learners

cuddle

play
verb

Definition of cuddle for English Language Learners

  • : to hold (someone or something) in your arms in order to show affection

  • : to lie or sit close together

CUDDLE Defined for Kids

cuddle

play
verb cud·dle \ˈkə-dəl\

Definition of cuddle for Students

cuddled

;

cuddling

  1. 1 :  to hold close for warmth or comfort or in affection

  2. 2 :  to lie close :  nestle, snuggle

Learn More about cuddle

  1. See words that rhyme with cuddle Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for cuddle Spanish Central: Translation of cuddle Nglish: Translation of cuddle for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of cuddle for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up cuddle? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

perspicuous

play

clear to the understanding

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. surrogate mother From TMZ to the dictionary.

  2. zealot A fanatical partisan

  3. stonewall to be uncooperative, obstructive, or evasive

  4. scurrilous Containing obscenities, abuse, or slander

  5. depose That word might not mean what you think it means.

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

cuddle

WORD GAMES

Take a 3-minute break and test your skills!

  • istock-refers-to-this-as-a-tumble-of-strawberries-which-sounded-pretty-nice-to-us
  • Which is a synonym of garner?
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

alt-594bf2ec5f26e
Quick: Read This!

'Quick' once had a very different meaning

alt-594d2b6325245
'Pride': The Word That Went From Vice to Strength

Do you take pride in Pride?

image599301899
Pink: The Color that Will Change Your Life

From Fuchsia to Baker-Miller Pink

image2144101468
That Sucks Word Alternatives

Your day is the worst. Your vocabulary is the best.

Ask the Editors

decimate-video
Is it wrong to use 'decimate' to mean 'destroy'?

Language changes

serial-comma
The Serial Comma

Why don't they call it the Merriam-Webster comma?

video-irregardless-grammar-peeve-blend-of-the-synonyms-irrespective-and-regardless
Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

video-moose-goose-weird-plurals
Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

istock-refers-to-this-as-a-tumble-of-strawberries-which-sounded-pretty-nice-to-us
June 2017 Words of the Day Quiz

Summer's first WOTD quiz.

Take the quiz
alt-5941ad7527c3c
Yearbook Superlatives Quiz

Is that your picture under "Largest Vocabulary"?

Take the quiz
True or False
True or False?

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

Take the quiz
SCRABBLE® Sprint
SCRABBLE® Sprint

SCRABBLE® fans, sharpen your skills!

Play the game
Examples: cuddle in a Sentence