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

Above it on the hill is the Casa sull’Albero [the tree house], a design boutique hotel with 12 rooms nestled in a park, a spa and a pool, also with a beautiful view of the lake. —Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 13 Nov. 2025

For a slimmer tree that can easily nestle in the small corners of a studio or one-bedroom apartment, try this Carolina Pine pre-lit Christmas tree, at 65% off. —Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 12 Nov. 2025

Hot Year is an irreverent revenge thriller set during an unusually sweltering summer in a small town nestled in the damp forests of the Pacific Northwest. —Justin Kroll, Deadline, 11 Nov. 2025

With roast turkey nestled against marshmallows and brussels sprouts migrating into pools of mac and cheese and cranberry sauce, precise pairings are moot. —Anna Lee C. Iijima, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Nov. 2025

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