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

Sugarite Canyon State Park, New Mexico On the border where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains, the flat-top mesas of Sugarite Canyon State Park frame the indigo blue lake nestled at the bottom of the canyon. — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026

Before his arcing shot had even nestled in the net, teammates’ arms were aloft and Sullivan was wheeling away in celebration. — Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

One image shows an intact amphora nestled among thick seagrass on the seafloor — while another shows a police diver examining a large, heavily encrusted vessel. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026

For this humble fishing village in Yemen, a tumbledown grouping of barely-there huts nestled between the water and an imposing mountain range, stands sentinel over one of the world’s most vital waterways. — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 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