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

Instead, choose something with a low- or mid-rise in a baggier silhouette that’s comfortable enough to curl up in. — Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2026

Otherwise, this may be a fine time to curl up with a book, binge-watch something on the telly, or cook a yummy meal. — Ed Silverman, STAT, 30 Oct. 2026

Baking with a close friend, decorating at your own pace or curling up with a favorite holiday movie can plant small, tender new memories around old traditions. — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Oct. 2026

But she is curled up on a bench outside a hospital, bereft over the death of another man, her dance class partner. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 29 Oct. 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