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

And, to top it all off, the engine’s first home is nestled inside a bonkers one-off Bronco called the Frostwarden. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2026

Bronx Beer Hall is nestled within a larger food hall in the historic Italian neighborhood of Arthur Avenue (please, try the veal). — Skyli Alvarez, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Nov. 2026

Hofstedter, a Canadian rabbi, was joining a group of rabbis from around the world at the Radin Yeshiva, nestled in the small town of Radun in western Belarus. — Shira Li Bartov, Sun Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2026

In the downtown of this historic village nestled in the Pioneer Valley of central Massachusetts, one red-brick building wears a blanket of ivy. — Laina Gustafson, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Nov. 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