swaddle

verb

swad·​dle ˈswä-dᵊl 

swaddled; swaddling

ˈswäd-liŋ, 

ˈswä-dᵊl-iŋ 

transitive verb

1

a

: to wrap (an infant) with swaddling clothes

b

: envelop, swathe

legs swaddled in bandages

2

: restrain, restrict

… marriage … swaddled him in a domesticity he came to loathe …

—Nina Auerbach

Examples of swaddle in a Sentence

He swaddled the baby in a blanket.

Recent Examples on the Web

Instead, the convent’s nine bookable guest rooms are more akin to sleeping over at your grandmother’s house, swaddling you in a familiar, matronly feeling of being watched over and cared for from a distance. —Hannah Towey, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026

The hoop showed up, swaddled in lots and lots of bubble wrap. —Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 10 Feb. 2026

Our guide, Meri Koponen, a national bronze medalist in kick-sledding, had swaddled Agnes in reindeer furs. —Boris Fishman, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026

As deaf servant Firs, Howard Swain swaddles the whole clan in a delicate, threadbare gauze. —Theater Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English swadelen, swathelen, probably alteration of swedelen, swethelen, from swethel swaddling band, from Old English; akin to Old English swathian to swathe

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for swaddle

• caudal
• caudle
• dawdle
• model
• twaddle
• waddle
• remodel

Kids Definition

swaddle

verb

swad·​dle ˈswäd-ᵊl 

swaddled; swaddling ˈswäd-liŋ 

-ᵊl-iŋ

: to wrap an infant with swaddling clothes