Cuddling is an intimate form of physical contact that involves two people holding each other in a warm embrace. HUGGING is a 7-letter synonym for cuddling, which involves two people embracing each other with their arms. NESTLING is an 8-letter synonym for cuddling, which describes the act of two people snuggling CLOSE together. CLOSE is a 5-letter synonym for cuddling, which implies two people being physically CLOSE to one another.