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 one of the best spots to sneak in a few pages is curled up in a comfy chair at home. — Carly Totten, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 July 2026

Some people like to curl up on the couch at night, while others spend their free time hiking mountains. — Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 28 July 2026

Van der Poel delivered the superhuman and curled up like a baby, suffering coursing through every nerve end. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 28 July 2026

Leaf edges that curl up or down indicate wilting, while brown, crispy leaf edges suggest the roots aren’t supplying enough water to the outer edges of the foliage. — Rachel Gillett, Martha Stewart, 28 July 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