nestle

American  

[nes-uhl] / ˈnɛs əl /

verb (used without object)

• nestles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• nestled,
  past participle,  past
• nestling
  present participle

1. to lie close and snug, like a bird in a nest; snuggle or cuddle.

2. to lie or be located in a sheltered spot; be naturally or pleasantly situated.

   a cottage nestling in a pine grove.

3. Archaic.

   1. to make or have a nest.

   2. to make one's home; settle in a home.

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verb (used with object)

• nestles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• nestled,
  past participle,  past
• nestling
  present participle

1. to settle or ensconce snugly.

   He nestled himself into the hay for a short nap.

2. to put or press confidingly or affectionately.

   She nestled her head on his shoulder.

3. to provide with or settle in a nest, as a bird.

nestle British  

/ ˈnɛsəl /

verb

1. (intr; often foll by up or down) to snuggle, settle, or cuddle closely

2. (intr) to be in a sheltered or protected position; lie snugly

3. (tr) to shelter or place snugly or partly concealed, as in a nest

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nestler
  noun
• unnestled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• nestling
  present
• nestled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• nestle
  simple
• nestles
  simple
• have nestled
  perfect
• has nestled
  perfect
• am nestling
  progressive
• are nestling
  progressive
• is nestling
  progressive
• have been nestling
  perfect progressive
• has been nestling
  perfect progressive

Past

• nestled
  simple
• had nestled
  perfect
• was nestling
  progressive
• were nestling
  progressive
• had been nestling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will nestle
  simple
• will have nestled
  perfect
• will be nestling
  progressive
• will have been nestling
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of nestle

before 1000; Middle English nestlen, Old English nestlian, cognate with Dutch nestelen. See nest, -le

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Explanation

To nestle into something is to get snug, comfy, and warm in it. You might nestle into your mother’s shoulder, or into a pile of blankets on the couch. People must think that birds live comfortable lives, because they describe really cozy, safe, and comfortable places as nests: places to nestle into. And it’s not just people and birds that nestle. A cottage might be nestled into the crook of a hill, or a mouse nestled into a pile of wood shavings.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nestle nestles nestled nestling

“You can nestle under a blanket and watch the storms on the mountains,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 12, 2026

When he reached 84, he went past Hobbs' Ashes tally of 3,636 to nestle behind Bradman, then went to three figures with a paddle off Bethell for three.

From BBC ● Jan. 6, 2026

In contrast, Meghan is selling a sun-soaked lifestyle where jars of dried rose blossoms nestle on pantry shelves, and backyards are abundant in fresh herbs, salad greens and passionfruit vines.

From Salon ● Aug. 27, 2025

Then my husband and I will nestle in.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2025

What I really want is to nestle deeper beneath the fuzzy blanket in her comfortable chair and go back to sleep for the rest of the night.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

As he nestles into its body, we see the primal need most animals, including humans, have for touch, for embrace.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 20, 2026

Handcrafted from an 18th-century original, this grater nestles neatly in a bowl for shredding cheese or vegetables.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 20, 2025

The first comes, not surprisingly, from San Marino – the independent microstate that nestles inside north-central Italy.

From BBC ● May 9, 2025

A floating, translucent marble cube, it nestles at the foot of One World Trade Center, just eight stories high, a runt in a herd of mega-tall commercial skyscrapers but impossible to miss.

From New York Times ● Sep. 13, 2023

Assos nestles in a circular bay, its streetlights glimmering.

From "Without Refuge" by Jane Mitchell

In the Hebron neighbourhood of Ein Deir Baha, nestled between two hills, vacated buildings were marked by X's and the streets were deserted, save a pair of Israeli military vehicles.

From Barron's ● Oct. 24, 2026

A rustic stew pot nestled beside a little clutch of flowers?

From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026

The ranch is nestled in a corner of Nebraska that's home to rolling green hills under sweeping Midwestern skies, the landscape dotted with grain silos and feedlots alongside fields and fields of bovines.

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

The secondary bedroom is a special spot, too, as it’s nestled in a corner of the unit, offering additional sunlight and another walk-in closet.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

She had strung it with a tiny silver ball, which nestled between the two adinkras.

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia

In the oven, the liquid reduces into something richer, the dumplings nestling into a creamy, deeply savory sauce that edges toward casserole territory.

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026

In 2010, Kings of Leon were forced to cut short a performance in St Louis, Missouri, after a flock of pigeons nestling above the stage took a dislike to their act.

From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2026

One unexpected finding was that warmer extremes were linked to heavier fledging weights during the nestling stage.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 12, 2026

During the summer of 2018, when Stormy was still a nestling, “an adult male intruder showed up to the nest and with great tenacity, refused to leave,” wrote Friends of Big Bear Valley.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 3, 2026

Years later Mrs. Huxley wrote to Etty, “Towards your mother I always had a sort of nestling feeling. More than any woman I ever knew, she comforted.”

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman

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