cuddle
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
-
to lie close and snug; nestle.
-
to curl up in going to sleep.
noun
verb
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to hold (another person or thing) close or (of two people, etc) to hold each other close, as for affection, comfort, or warmth; embrace; hug
-
to curl or snuggle up into a comfortable or warm position
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of cuddle
1510–20; perhaps back formation from Middle English cudliche intimate, affectionate, Old English cūthlīc, or from Middle English cuthlechen, Old English cūthlǣcan to make friends with; see couth 2, -ly
Explanation
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.
Vocabulary lists containing cuddle
Love Letter Words for Valentine's Day
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Comfy Cozy Lingo
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I lead him back to bed, cuddle up beside him.
From Slate • May 10, 2026
The Prince and Princess of Wales and their children have named an eastern grey kangaroo Cwtch, which is Welsh for cuddle, at Australia Zoo.
From BBC • May 7, 2026
Sea lions are thigmotactic, a scientific term for very social creatures who like to cuddle.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026
Against all odds, Kobi pulled through and eight "agonising" days later, they finally got their first cuddle with their son, which felt like a "miracle".
From BBC • Nov. 13, 2025
I had to admit, seeing Opal cuddle and whisper to her baby was very sweet.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
