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

• 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

There are no direction markers, no information board to explain that here, nestled between an air-conditioner repair shop and a gaming cafe, lies one of Brazilian football’s holy sites. —Jack Lang, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025

Enchantment Resort is an upscale oasis nestled in the canyon. —Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 11 Oct. 2025

Bucksnort is a small spring located in Hickman County, Tennessee, nestled along Sugar Creek just southeast of Interstate 40’s Exit 152. —Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025

In an intimate atmosphere, seated at long, communal tables, nestled tightly with industry professionals, guests were treated to a dinner that was melt-in-your-mouth good. —Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 8 Oct. 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