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

Cornelius lived with his fiancée in a meager green tent draped with a blue tarp on Old Wheat Street, nestled between the King Historic District and downtown Atlanta. —Holly Yan, CNN Money, 29 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, 28 Nov. 2025

Bring the entire family and enjoy the onsite playground and picnic tables nestled under the shade of giant oak trees. —Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 28 Nov. 2025

Courtesy Freddy Sayegh Tucked in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, Altadena felt like a small village nestled within a megapolis. —Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 27 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