nuzzle

American  

[nuhz-uhl] / ˈnʌz əl /

verb (used without object)

• nuzzles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• nuzzled,
  past participle,  past
• nuzzling
  present participle

1. to burrow or root with the nose, snout, etc., as an animal does.

   a rabbit nuzzling into the snow.

2. to thrust the nose, muzzle, etc..

   The dog nuzzled up to his master.

3. to lie very close to someone or something; cuddle or snuggle up.

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verb (used with object)

• nuzzles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• nuzzled,
  past participle,  past
• nuzzling
  present participle

1. to root up with the nose, snout, etc..

   training pigs to nuzzle truffles from the ground.

2. to touch or rub with the nose, snout, muzzle, etc.

3. to thrust the nose, muzzle, snout, etc., against or into.

   The horse was nuzzling my pocket for sugar.

4. to thrust (the nose or head), as into something.

5. to lie very close to; cuddle or snuggle up to.

noun

1. an affectionate embrace or cuddle.

nuzzle British  

/ ˈnʌzəl /

verb

1. to push or rub gently against the nose or snout

2. (intr) to nestle; lie close

3. (tr) to dig out with the snout

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unnuzzled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• nuzzling
  present
• nuzzled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• nuzzle
  simple
• nuzzles
  simple
• have nuzzled
  perfect
• has nuzzled
  perfect
• am nuzzling
  progressive
• are nuzzling
  progressive
• is nuzzling
  progressive
• have been nuzzling
  perfect progressive
• has been nuzzling
  perfect progressive

Past

• nuzzled
  simple
• had nuzzled
  perfect
• was nuzzling
  progressive
• were nuzzling
  progressive
• had been nuzzling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will nuzzle
  simple
• will have nuzzled
  perfect
• will be nuzzling
  progressive
• will have been nuzzling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of nuzzle

1375–1425; late Middle English noselen to grovel; origin uncertain

Explanation

To nuzzle is to affectionately rub your nose and face against someone (or something). It's hard to get out of bed in the morning when your cat lies down on your chest and nuzzles you. A mother might nuzzle her new baby's head, and a horse will nuzzle a person's hand — hoping for an apple or sugar cube. In the fifteenth century, this word instead meant "to bring the nose to the ground," from the verb nose, "pry or smell with the nose." The current meaning was influenced by words like nestle and the now-obsolete "nursle," meaning "to nurse."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nuzzle nuzzles nuzzled nuzzling

He followed this pair across rocky hillside for a couple of hours and took his shot when the male paused to nuzzle the female.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2025

Picture the soft, cool nuzzle of your dog.

From Seattle Times ● May 4, 2024

She’s taken time to quickly nuzzle all the dogs before they entered the plane, but this guy is clearly special.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2023

Then they stick their beaks below the surface and “chatter” their mouths open and closed, darting their tongues in and out to create suction as they nuzzle the pond’s bottom.

From Science Magazine ● Jan. 9, 2023

I give him a hug and a nuzzle, and it crosses my mind that after I get my leg, I could walk him over to Rosa’s.

From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen

A cat, the unit's unofficial mascot, nuzzles against one of the propellers.

From BBC ● Jan. 21, 2024

When she nuzzles the correct one, which she always seems to do, a tube squirts water into her bowl.

From Science Magazine ● Dec. 7, 2023

Johnson nuzzles the Teresa’s bow against the stern of the Marjorie C. Thick fenders cushion the impact.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2021

“Welcome to my home,” one of them begins as she nuzzles the other.

From New York Times ● Sep. 2, 2021

She wipes the chocolate off Penny’s face and nuzzles her.

From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper

After a brisk run in a team category, the 51-year-old son of the 1971 winner sprinted off his boat, high-fived a line of spectators and playfully nuzzled a woman seated in a lawnchair.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

"FYI we did NOT feed them as that is not allowed - they came up and nuzzled us so we just gave them a little pat then let them be."

From BBC ● May 15, 2024

She nuzzled around a bit, kind of got my smell I guess and then literally fell asleep.

From Scientific American ● Jun. 18, 2023

“She nuzzled up into my chest and sort of bended into me, and I was struck by how soft she was, especially the top of her head,” she said.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 14, 2022

It was a beautiful foal, although it had eight legs instead of the usual four, and it followed Loki wherever he went, and nuzzled him, and treated Loki as if he were its mother.

From "Norse Mythology" by Neil Gaiman

"They're so funny looking. There's something about the very oversized bill, their behaviour on some of the trail camera footage, the nuzzling behaviour. And they're also so clumsy."

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

“I can be your pillow, mommy,” her daughter said, nuzzling into her neck.

From Salon ● May 27, 2026

Imagine if your Apple Watch grew legs and could follow you around, not merely vibrating to remind you to stand up every half-hour, but playfully nuzzling your hand to remind you to do so.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 4, 2026

For a veteran with PTSD, a service dog may retrieve medication or perform anxiety-relieving actions like nuzzling or leaning against a person when the dog senses a heightened state of anxiety.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 4, 2024

Instantly Pax was on him, wriggling under his neck, licking his face, sniffing his broken foot, nuzzling his face again.

From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker

Related Words

• caress