1
a
: a bed or cot for a baby usually on rockers or pivots
b
: a framework or support suggestive of a baby's cradle: such as
(1)
: a framework of bars and rods
(2)
: the support for a telephone receiver or handset
(3)
: a charging station for a device (such as a smartphone or tablet)
c
: an implement with rods like fingers attached to a scythe and used formerly for harvesting grain
d
: a frame to keep the bedclothes from contact with an injured part of the body
2
a
: the earliest period of life : infancy
from the cradle to the grave
b
: a place of origin
the cradle of civilization
3
: a rocking device used in panning for gold
cradled; cradling
ˈkrād-liŋ 
ˈkrā-dᵊl-iŋ
1
2
: to cut (grain) with a cradle scythe
3
: to place, raise, support, or transport on a cradle
obsolete
: to rest in or as if in a cradle
Examples of cradle in a Sentence
Noun
She placed the phone back on its cradle.
A number of ships were resting in their cradles in the shipyard.
Verb
He cradled her face in his hands.
She was cradling the injured man's head in her arms.
Recent Examples on the Web
Laurel Rosenhall, Los Angeles Times, 29 Feb. 2024
The Cambodian celeb chef known as Chef Nak shares her recipe for an invigorating weekend in the cradle of Khmer cuisine.
February 19, 2024
All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors.
—Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Feb. 2024
Not only tier one, but all the way up to the cradle, the beginning of the value chain.
—IEEE Spectrum, 9 Feb. 2024
So farming became a profession that stood at the cradle of what is now the EU.
—Raf Casert, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Feb. 2024
The fish is fried to create a cradle for salad — julienne daikon, cucumber and smoky pineapple — between head and tail, and the construction teeters on a vinaigrette that’s racy with ginger and chilies.
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
The watch also supports fast charging using OnePlus’ proprietary cradle and pogo pin charger.
—Victoria Song, The Verge, 26 Feb. 2024
The little ball kept dancing around the wheel and falling into its cradle as if guided by his intuition alone.
—Elliot Ackerman, WIRED, 6 Feb. 2024
Renowned as the cradle of wasabi cultivation, Shizuoka offers no shortage of opportunities to savor Japan’s piquant treasure.
—Jonny Bierman, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2024
Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 21 Apr. 2024
The father, once a civil servant, cradled his child.
—Hannah Beech Adam Ferguson, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
From singing priests and parents cradling babies to acrobats and surfers, all walks of life are present in stone at Otagi Nenbutsuji.
—John Clifford, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2024
Cota stopped re-arranging cardboard boxes and cradled her face in his hands.
—Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Apr. 2024
On Tuesday, April 9, the High School Musical alum, 35, shared a beautiful photograph of herself cradling her baby bump while sporting a figure-hugging brown dress.
—Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
Hudgens, who wed professional baseball player Cole Tucker in December, cradled her belly while posing on the 2024 Oscars red carpet at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood Sunday afternoon.
—Ashley Iasimone, Billboard, 10 Mar. 2024
Carlito and Omar pretended to check Leslie’s pulse before cradling her head.
—Jared Lemus, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2024
In the first photo, Bailey was covered in mud and cradled her baby boy Halo, whose face was blurred out.
—Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 28 Mar. 2024
Noun
In the cradle of Latino political power, rivalries are downright biblical.
—Laurel Rosenhall, Los Angeles Times, 29 Feb. 2024
The Cambodian celeb chef known as Chef Nak shares her recipe for an invigorating weekend in the cradle of Khmer cuisine.
February 19, 2024
All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors.
—Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Feb. 2024
Not only tier one, but all the way up to the cradle, the beginning of the value chain.
—IEEE Spectrum, 9 Feb. 2024
So farming became a profession that stood at the cradle of what is now the EU.
—Raf Casert, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Feb. 2024
The fish is fried to create a cradle for salad — julienne daikon, cucumber and smoky pineapple — between head and tail, and the construction teeters on a vinaigrette that’s racy with ginger and chilies.
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
The watch also supports fast charging using OnePlus’ proprietary cradle and pogo pin charger.
—Victoria Song, The Verge, 26 Feb. 2024
The little ball kept dancing around the wheel and falling into its cradle as if guided by his intuition alone.
—Elliot Ackerman, WIRED, 6 Feb. 2024
Renowned as the cradle of wasabi cultivation, Shizuoka offers no shortage of opportunities to savor Japan’s piquant treasure.
—Jonny Bierman, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2024
Verb
The mom-to-be, 25, cradled her bump while stepping out in Los Angeles last week in the Corrina dress from her collaboration with Solid and Striped, a puff-sleeve maxi style in a ditsy floral print that’s easily one of her most replicable looks yet.
—Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 21 Apr. 2024
The father, once a civil servant, cradled his child.
—Hannah Beech Adam Ferguson, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
From singing priests and parents cradling babies to acrobats and surfers, all walks of life are present in stone at Otagi Nenbutsuji.
—John Clifford, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2024
Cota stopped re-arranging cardboard boxes and cradled her face in his hands.
—Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Apr. 2024
On Tuesday, April 9, the High School Musical alum, 35, shared a beautiful photograph of herself cradling her baby bump while sporting a figure-hugging brown dress.
—Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
Hudgens, who wed professional baseball player Cole Tucker in December, cradled her belly while posing on the 2024 Oscars red carpet at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood Sunday afternoon.
—Ashley Iasimone, Billboard, 10 Mar. 2024
Carlito and Omar pretended to check Leslie’s pulse before cradling her head.
—Jared Lemus, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2024
In the first photo, Bailey was covered in mud and cradled her baby boy Halo, whose face was blurred out.
—Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 28 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cradle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near cradle
Cite this Entry
“Cradle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cradle. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cradle
1 of 2 noun
cra·dle
ˈkrād-ᵊl
1
: a bed for a baby usually on rockers
2
a
: a place of origin
the cradle of civilization
b
: the earliest period of life
3
: a framework or support resembling a baby's cradle in appearance or use
4
: a tool with rods like fingers attached to a scythe and used formerly for harvesting grain
5
: a rocking tool used in panning for gold
6
: a support for a telephone handset
cradle
2 of 2 verb
cradled; cradling
ˈkrād-liŋ
-ᵊl-iŋ
1
a
: to place or keep in or as if in a cradle
b
: to protect and cherish lovingly
2
: to cut grain with a cradle
3
: to wash in a miner's cradle
Medical Definition
cradle
noun
cra·dle
ˈkrād-ᵊl
1
: a bed or cot for a baby usually on rockers or pivots
2
a
: a frame to keep the bedclothes from contact with an injured part of the body
b
: a frame placed on the neck of an animal to keep it from biting an injury or sore
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