swaddle

verb

swad·​dle ˈswä-dᵊl 

swaddled; swaddling

ˈswäd-liŋ,

ˈswä-dᵊl-iŋ 

transitive verb

1

a

: to wrap (an infant) with swaddling clothes

b

: envelop, swathe

legs swaddled in bandages

2

: restrain, restrict

marriage … swaddled him in a domesticity he came to loathe

—Nina Auerbach

Examples of swaddle in a Sentence

He swaddled the baby in a blanket.

Recent Examples on the Web

Video from that day showed a terrified Shiri swaddling the boys as militants led them into Gaza. —Mohammad Jahjouh, TIME, 20 Feb. 2025

Video shot that day showed a terrified Shiri swaddling the two boys as militants led them into Gaza. —Mohammad Jahjouh, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2025

Sometimes babies have a sleep position preference—some sleep better with their arms swaddled and some may prefer one or both arms over their head. —Sherri Gordon, Parents, 30 Jan. 2025

Ree, her husband Ladd and Sofia Marie, swaddled tightly and bearing a slight smile, posed for a sweet photo together. —Rachel Raposas, People.com, 27 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English swadelen, swathelen, probably alteration of swedelen, swethelen, from swethel swaddling band, from Old English; akin to Old English swathian to swathe

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for swaddle

• caudal
• caudle
• dawdle
• model
• twaddle
• waddle
• remodel

Kids Definition

swaddle

verb

swad·​dle ˈswäd-ᵊl 

swaddled; swaddling ˈswäd-liŋ 

-ᵊl-iŋ

: to wrap an infant with swaddling clothes