cuddle

1 of 2

verb

cud·​dle ˈkə-dᵊl 

cuddled; cuddling

ˈkəd-liŋ, 

ˈkə-dᵊl-iŋ 

transitive verb

: to hold close for warmth or comfort or in affection

He cuddled the puppy.

intransitive verb

: to lie close or snug : nestle, snuggle

… dewy glens where couples cuddle on blankets …

—Bob Sipchen

cuddler

ˈkəd-lər, 

ˈkə-dᵊl-ər 

noun

cuddle

2 of 2

noun

: a close embrace

Synonyms of cuddle

Verb

• snuggle

Examples of cuddle in a Sentence

Verb

Let's cuddle by the fire.

kittens cuddling in a basket

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Adira, 2, in white jammies with a striped collar, cuddled with a blue dragon with rainbow scales, and a big brown Squishmellow. —Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 28 Nov. 2025

Snark aside, cuddling animals has real mental health benefits. —Charles Trepany, USA Today, 25 Nov. 2025

Noun

This time of year, turkeys might be getting all the attention at the dining room table, but The Gentle Barn founder Ellie Laks said the birds can make great cuddle buddies. —Kristin M. Hall The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 30 Nov. 2025

Chrissy and her mom, Vilailuck Teigen, shared some cuddles with the youngest babies, Esti and Wren. —Alexandra Schonfeld, PEOPLE, 30 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Verb

1520, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

1825, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cuddle

• huddle
• muddle
• puddle

Kids Definition

cuddle

verb

cud·​dle

ˈkəd-ᵊl

cuddled; cuddling

ˈkəd-liŋ, 

-ᵊl-iŋ

1

: to hold close for warmth or comfort or in affection

2

: to lie close : nestle, snuggle

cuddle noun

cuddly

ˈkəd-lē, 

-ᵊl-ē

adjective