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

As the new year begins and winter settles in, there’s no better time to curl up with a good book and this January, shelves are filled with fresh stories worth reading to kick off 2026. —Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 10 Jan. 2026

Head to the woods for a peaceful hike, curl up by the fire in a cozy cabin, or hit the town for some frosty window-shopping. —Ashlyn Ware, Midwest Living, 7 Jan. 2026

McDermid’s nonfiction meditation on the winter season and all its accompanying traditions and accoutrements sounds like the perfect book to curl up with on a snowy day. —Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026

Reading Nooks Whether they are used for reading, curling up to scroll on your phone, or sitting with a laptop to binge your favorite new show, reading nooks are a popular trend for 2026. —Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 29 Dec. 2025

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