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

After Collins’ family reported her missing, police followed a tip to the Pham’s unit, nestled behind NoDa’s main strip, and found Collins wrapped in duct tape and stuffed into a mattress. — Charlotte Observer, 13 Oct. 2026

Because nestled between the conference center and the French Riviera is an exact (well, 90% scale) replica of Paramount Studios’ iconic Bronson Gate. — K.j. Yossman, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026

When the Americans failed to pressure Guijarro some 25 yards out, the Spanish captain ripped a bending effort that nestled in goalkeeper Claudia Dickey’s netting. — Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 10 Oct. 2026

Expect a rich palette of creams, golds, seas of blues, and pops of burgundy nestled against dark wood furniture and an array of textured fabrics. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 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