huddled; huddling
ˈhə-dᵊl-iŋ 
ˈhəd-liŋ
1
a
: to crowd together
Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free …—
Emma Lazarus
Emma Lazarus
b
: to draw (oneself) together : crouch
People were huddled around their radios.
2
: to wrap oneself closely in
huddled her coat around her
3
British
: to arrange carelessly or hurriedly
… things happened as in a badly directed moving picture, all huddled, all hurried …—Donn Byrne
Donn Byrnethe solemnities had to be huddled through at express speed—Manchester Examiner
Manchester Examiner1
a
: to gather in a close-packed group
They huddled around the campfire.
b
: to curl up : crouch
Students huddled over their desks.
2
a
: to hold a consultation
huddled to discuss the proposal
b
American football
: to gather away from the line of scrimmage to receive instructions (as from the quarterback) for the next down (see down entry 5 sense 3b) : to gather in a huddle (see huddle entry 2 sense 2b)
1
: a close-packed group : bunch
huddles of children
a huddle of cottages
2
a
: meeting, conference
The boss is in a huddle with the marketing director.
b
American football
: a brief gathering of players away from the line of scrimmage to receive instructions (as from the quarterback) for the next down (see down entry 5 sense 3b)
Examples of huddle in a Sentence
Verb
We huddled around the campfire.
The sheep huddled together for warmth.
The students huddled over their desks.
Union representatives are huddling to discuss the proposal.
Noun
sheep standing in a huddle
The boss is in a huddle with the marketing director.
The quarterback called the offense into a huddle.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kate Crane, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026
Others huddle in tents pulled together from sheets of tarp along the curving coastal corniche or around Horsh Beirut, a park of pine trees on the outskirts of an area of the southern suburbs known as Dahiyeh.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2026
When the final buzzer sounded Friday, the Bruins gathered on the court, put their hands in the air and broke the huddle without fanfare.
—Haley Sawyer, Daily News, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for huddle
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Verb
We were huddled shoulder to shoulder on the floor at my bedroom door, listening at the decent-size crack.
—Kate Crane, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026
Others huddle in tents pulled together from sheets of tarp along the curving coastal corniche or around Horsh Beirut, a park of pine trees on the outskirts of an area of the southern suburbs known as Dahiyeh.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
Despite the many microphones, cameras and phones recording him — and a huddle of people encroaching on his personal space — Edwards could not stop smiling.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2026
When the final buzzer sounded Friday, the Bruins gathered on the court, put their hands in the air and broke the huddle without fanfare.
—Haley Sawyer, Daily News, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for huddle
Cite this Entry
“Huddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/huddle. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
huddle
2 of 2 noun1
: a close-packed group : bunch
2
b
: a brief gathering of football players away from the line of scrimmage to hear instructions for the next play
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