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

Traditionally, this dessert asks you to (1) swaddle hot cake in a kitchen towel; (2) roll, cool, and unroll it to set the shape; then (3) fill and reroll it with bated breath. —Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Apr. 2026

Shawls become swaddled infants. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026

Really, the Black Label burger is more of a filet mignon chopped into big cubes and then swaddled in raclette, roasted mushroom relish and burger sauce. —Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register, 20 Mar. 2026

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

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