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

Meanwhile, the Downtown area (also known as the Rondout District) is nestled right on the banks of the Hudson River. —Elise Taylor, Vogue, 23 Sep. 2025

At the heart of Davii’s creative process is the atelier, nestled in the heart of Porto. —Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2025

Sky Meadow Country Club, nestled against sprawling greenery at the highest peak of Nashua, New Hampshire, boasts a beautiful backdrop for recreation and special occasions – a golf course, ballroom, fine-dining restaurant, patio, bar and more. —Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2025

Jim Woodring, famous for his comic book surrealism, is the perfect writer to dive into Church’s increasing instability, especially as the reader gets nestled in with him. —Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 22 Sep. 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