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

Previous seasons saw Vernon curate the subterranean room into messy domestic tableaux, with pieces nestled among scenes of dinner parties and unfinished musical manuscripts—the detritus of a chaotic creative process. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 21 Sep. 2026

But today the school, nestled into a community of new single-family homes just a stone’s throw from Walt Disney World, has about 550 students — putting it just above the 65% mark. — Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026

The bookshop is nestled along the Farmington River in an old post and beam mill building. — Pamela Brown, Hartford Courant, 19 Sep. 2026

The proof had been hiding in an Instagram gallery posted months earlier by a swimsuit model and friend of the bride, nestled among glamour shots and lifestyle photos. — Alex Mierjeski, ProPublica, 19 Sep. 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