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

That campus is nestled in the small city in Kern County about 30 miles northwest of Bakersfield where community members cheer on their own on Friday nights. — Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026

Increasingly severe wildfires — fueled by climate change and more than a century of forest mismanagement — have forced an environmental reckoning on mountain towns nestled in California’s Sierra Nevada. — Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026

The play facility, nestled in Frankfort’s Commissioners Park, was given the red ribbon-cutting treatment this week. — Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026

The new property is nestled inside a 45,000-acre private conservancy with open savannahs and waterholes nearby. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 8 July 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