cuddly
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of cuddly
Explanation
Something (or someone) that's soft, snuggly, and huggable is cuddly. Your pet rabbit is so cuddly that you wish you could bring her to school, so you'd be able to hold and hug her all day long. Some people are naturally cuddly, either because they love to hug you, or because they're particularly plump and comfortable. The same is true for animals and dolls — there are some things that seem to be made for cuddling. Cuddly comes from the adorable word cuddle, which probably stems from the obsolete verb cull, "to embrace," or possibly the Middle English couth, "known" or "comfortable with."
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.
"So many companies are getting a massively bad rap for being these techno overlords. What better way to cut through than to create a cute and cuddly, anthropomorphic mascot?"
From BBC • May 13, 2026
In a warm, cuddly segment, he taught Elmo the meaning of the salutation “as-salamu alaykum.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026
What they uncovered would both shock and devastate Tyrone's family, who described his death as "horrific" and recalled Tyrone as being a "cuddly little baby bear".
From BBC • Jan. 31, 2026
Malinin's majestic performance delighted the crowd, who bombarded the ice with dozens of cuddly toy dragons in tribute after his display.
From Barron's • Jan. 9, 2026
The General roared, “What is this? Cute cuddly kittens? Where did you find those teeth?”
From "The Titan's Curse" by Rick Riordan
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.
