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

The dogs tried to curl up wherever possible to take short naps. —Delbert L. Chears, Outdoor Life, 5 Mar. 2026

This has a similar curved design, and the chenille-like fabric lends this a coziness for kicking back and curling up. —Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 3 Mar. 2026

Trained Therapy Dogs With an Instinct for Comfort For longtime followers of Golden Retriever Life, photos of Ellie and Emma curled up protectively around Katie are no surprise. —Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 23 Feb. 2026

This mist reminds me of being freshly showered and curled up under layers of blankets—the perfect antidote to freezing temperatures outside. —Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 22 Feb. 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