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

That means nobody is around to judge you for slipping the ABBA album from the stack of records in the lobby onto the nearby turntable before curling up on the black leather banquettes around the fireplace. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026

The sale comes at the perfect time for football fans looking to upgrade their home entertainment systems for game day, or for Halloween movie buffs looking to curl up with the season's best films. — ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026

This human-sized dog bed creates a cozy spot for afternoon naps, movie marathons, or curling up with a book, with plenty of room for your furry sidekick — or sidekicks — to stretch out next to you. — Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2026

Larger room categories also have cozy couch nooks with ocean views for curling up with a book. — Terry Ward, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 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