curl up

verb

curled up; curling up; curls up

intransitive verb

: to arrange oneself in or as if in a ball or curl

curl up by the fire

curl up with a good book

Synonyms of curl up

• snuggle
• snug
• nestle

Examples of curl up in a Sentence

I love to curl up in a big chair with a book.

Recent Examples on the Web

And may the extra hour afforded by the time change encourage all of us to curl up under a blanket with some tea, and replace our doomscrolling with reading. — Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026

There should be enough room for your dog to go in and curl up comfortably, but not be overly spacious. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026

Christmastime means dropping temperatures, more time curled up on the couch, and a general desire to chillax. — Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 2 Nov. 2026

Fans can also nab a soft black blanket ($30) to curl up in while sitting on the couch. — Stacy Lambe, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1910, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for curl up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup

Kids Definition

curl up

verb

: to arrange oneself in or as if in a curl or ball

curl up with a good book