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

My biggest quandary is whether to order it as a plate, which comes with small flour tortillas, a plate of creamy refried beans and an all-access pass to the salsa bar, or swaddled in a giant, chewy flour tortilla as a burrito. —Felicia Campbell, The Arizona Republic, 24 Dec. 2024

To ease the dogs’ anxieties, there were pheromone mists and swaddling ThunderShirts and even a soothing bone broth. —Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Dec. 2024

The photo shows her newborn swaddled in a blanket covered in mini candies, the perfect nod to Halloween. —Hannah Sacks, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024

Pope Francis swaddled the Baby Jesus in a keffiyeh. —Melvin Backman, Quartz, 10 Dec. 2024

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

Kids Definition

swaddle

verb

swad·​dle ˈswäd-ᵊl 

swaddled; swaddling ˈswäd-liŋ 

-ᵊl-iŋ

: to wrap an infant with swaddling clothes