nestle

verb

nes·​tle ˈne-səl 

nestled; nestling ˈne-s(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

1

archaic : nest sense 1

2

: to settle snugly or comfortably

3

: to lie in an inconspicuous or sheltered manner

transitive verb

1

: to settle, shelter, or house in or as if in a nest

… the children were nestled all snug in their beds …

—Clement Moore

2

: to press closely and affectionately

nestles a kitten in her arms

nestler

ˈne-s(ə-)lər 

noun

Synonyms of nestle

• snuggle
• cuddle
• nuzzle

Examples of nestle in a Sentence

He nestled his head against his mother's shoulder.

She carefully nestled the hamster into its cage.

The fly ball nestled into the outfielder's glove.

Recent Examples on the Web

In 2024, a photo of the deli case showed a heaping tray of lobster salad nestled among other prepared foods — and the jaw-dropping $120-per-pound price tag. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2026

The fish is then nestled into the sauce to finish cooking. — The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 June 2026

About 20 minutes from the Mykonos airport and Chora, the island’s main town, the hotel is nestled on the south side of the island near Kalo Livadi Bay. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 24 June 2026

This resort, nestled near the Pacific, provides a full calendar of activities for all ages, from championship golf and saltwater pools to fine dining. — David Weiss, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English nestlian, from nest

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Rhymes for nestle

• cresol
• decile
• pestle
• sessile
• trestle
• vessel
• wessel
• wrestle
• subsessile

Kids Definition

nestle

verb

nes·​tle ˈnes-əl 

nestled; nestling -(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to lie close and snug : cuddle

2

: to settle as if in a nest

nestler

-(ə-)lər 

noun