To cuddle is to embrace in a loving, affectionate way. If you're having a terrible day, you probably wish you could just go home, get in bed, and cuddle with your cat.

Cuddle might come from the Middle English couth, "known" — after all, you only cuddle with those you know. Or, cuddle may have started as baby talk that caught on. When you cuddle, you give a snuggly hug to make yourself or another person feel loved or comforted. As a noun, cuddle describes the time of the embrace, like having one last cuddle before leaving for a long trip.

Definitions of cuddle


“I cuddled the baby”
Type of:
bosom, embrace, hug, squeeze
squeeze (someone) tightly in your arms, usually with fondness

v move or arrange oneself in a comfortable and cozy position

“We cuddled against each other to keep warm”
draw close, nest, nestle, nuzzle, snuggle
nestle, snuggle
position comfortably
draw close
pull towards oneself
Type of:
cling to, clutch, hold close, hold tight
hold firmly, usually with one's hands

n a close and affectionate (and often prolonged) embrace

nestle, snuggle
Type of:
embrace, embracement, embracing

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