nuzzle
verb
nuz·zle ˈnə-zəl 
nuzzled; nuzzling ˈnəz-liŋ
ˈnə-zə-
intransitive verb
1
: to work with or as if with the nose
especially : to root, rub, or snuff something
2
: to lie close or snug
transitive verb
1
: to root, rub, or touch with or as if with the nose
2
: to rub or push gently against something
nuzzled her face against the cushion
Synonyms
- cuddle
- nestle
- snoozle [chiefly dialect]
- snuggle
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The dog nuzzled my leg. He nuzzled into her neck.
Recent Examples on the Web When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently. 
Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2022 It's designed to mimic a soft blanket, so there's an extra fabric that pets can nuzzle into. Medea Giordano, Wired, 13 July 2022 Jessie Holmes takes a break from cooking his dogs a meal to nuzzle with two wheel dogs at the Ophir checkpoint during the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Wednesday, March 10, 2021. CBS News, 14 Apr. 2022 Then the cow will often try to nuzzle or lick or otherwise check out the new item. Anna Fifield, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2020 Caesar, who can often be seen nuzzling McCool’s white beard, seemed thrown off, too, by his cloth mask. oregonlive, 2 May 2020 When volunteers walked by their cages, the animals nuzzled next to their wire cages behind a bar fence to get closer. Tessa Duvall, The Courier-Journal, 22 Feb. 2020 The unnamed calf was born at Potter Park Zoo on Tuesday before 6 a.m. The 12-year-old mother, Doppsee, nuzzled her baby within minutes and the calf was standing up about 90 minutes later, according to the zoo. USA TODAY, 26 Dec. 2019 Brown stew chicken, on the other hand, embraces a mild sweetness — soft, fall-apart thighs and legs that nuzzle up to rice and peas and a pile of sauteed cabbage. Dominic Armato, azcentral, 9 Mar. 2020 See More
Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2022 It's designed to mimic a soft blanket, so there's an extra fabric that pets can nuzzle into. Medea Giordano, Wired, 13 July 2022 Jessie Holmes takes a break from cooking his dogs a meal to nuzzle with two wheel dogs at the Ophir checkpoint during the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Wednesday, March 10, 2021. CBS News, 14 Apr. 2022 Then the cow will often try to nuzzle or lick or otherwise check out the new item. Anna Fifield, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2020 Caesar, who can often be seen nuzzling McCool’s white beard, seemed thrown off, too, by his cloth mask. oregonlive, 2 May 2020 When volunteers walked by their cages, the animals nuzzled next to their wire cages behind a bar fence to get closer. Tessa Duvall, The Courier-Journal, 22 Feb. 2020 The unnamed calf was born at Potter Park Zoo on Tuesday before 6 a.m. The 12-year-old mother, Doppsee, nuzzled her baby within minutes and the calf was standing up about 90 minutes later, according to the zoo. USA TODAY, 26 Dec. 2019 Brown stew chicken, on the other hand, embraces a mild sweetness — soft, fall-apart thighs and legs that nuzzle up to rice and peas and a pile of sauteed cabbage. Dominic Armato, azcentral, 9 Mar. 2020 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English noselen to bring the nose toward the ground, from nose
First Known Use
1530, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
Kids Definition
nuzzle
verb
nuz·zle ˈnə-zəl
nuzzled; nuzzling
: to push or rub with the nose
… the mare nuzzled again gently at his neck. Susan Cooper, The Dark Is Rising
Susan Cooper, The Dark Is Risingnuzzled
verb
as in snuggled
to lie close newborn puppies nuzzling against their mother to stay warm Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- snuggled
- cuddled
- nestled
- snoozled
- crouched
- huddled
- curled up
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- flinched
- winced
- recoiled
- shrank
- shrunk
- shied
- started
- blenched
- quailed