nestling 1 of 2

noun

Definition of nestlingnext
as in infant

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nestling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of nestle
1
as in snuggling
to lie close nestled in next to the other kittens in the box

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in crouching
to sit or recline comfortably or cozily nestling with her children on the couch

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3
as in perching
to establish or place comfortably or snugly we had scarcely nestled the children in their beds when there was a knock at the door

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of nestling
Noun
Wearing latex or nitrile gloves can help prevent your scent from clinging to the nestling and attracting predators. — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 12 Apr. 2026 While the appearance is modern and synthetic, the materials feel durable and the clean design is mature, with a cover over the cupholders and wireless charger nestling in front of the armrest. — James Morris, Forbes.com, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
The metal tip was nestling against the uppermost layer of his nail. — Kate Crane, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026 Cottagecore cozy wouldn’t be complete without a quilt, and this one from Brooklinen is on par to nestling into a cotton candy cloud. — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 4 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nestling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nestling
  1. infant
  2. snuggling
  3. crouching
  4. perching
  5. newborn
  6. cuddling
  7. lodging
  8. neonate
Noun
  • Den Haas said the infant was one of two hidden beneath bananas and luggage on a passenger bus in southern Sumatra.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Tools to identify a disrupted maternal and infant gut microbiome are already being developed, but screening without a protocol for what to do next is incomplete medicine.
    — Holly Baines, STAT, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of infant
Verb
  • But these kittens can't stop snuggling after being separated.
    — Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The next slide showed Thurston snuggling up with her dog, Charlie.
    — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of snuggling
Verb
  • Throughout the event, a guy bounds around, introducing the recordists, then crouching to cue their recordings on a laptop, his dark, longish hair under a black dad cap bearing the club’s name.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The small red-chalk study shows a child crouching on the ground, according to The Guardian, which first reported the discovery.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of crouching
Verb
  • No club have spent more time perching on the highest rung of English football than Everton.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • There was a time, the woman said, when rolling down the road meant perching on her husband’s back seat.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of perching
Noun
  • The alert included detailed clinical guidance for managing measles exposures and cases during pregnancy as well as cases in newborns.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
  • This is the most competitive time of year for New England’s hobbyists, who describe their giant pumpkins almost like parents describe a newborn.
    — Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of newborn
Verb
  • There’s also a large firepit for cuddling up under the stars with a cocktail or two.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Kye and the girl start to meet once or twice a week in the girl’s apartment, watching TV and cuddling and getting takeout.
    — S. C. Cornell, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of cuddling
Verb
  • That officer then shot into Perez's vehicle, lodging a bullet in his back, officials say.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
  • That officer then shot into Perez’s vehicle, lodging a bullet in his back, officials say.
    — Ryan J. Foley, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of lodging
Noun
  • Males guard the eggs and newborn frogs, called neonates.
    — Ana V. Longo, The Conversation, 24 June 2026
  • There have been publications about nicotine transmission and neonates after blood transfusion.
    — Torie Bosch, STAT, 1 June 2026
Definition of neonate

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Cite this Entry

“Nestling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nestling. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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