Affection has many kinds and expressing that feeling also comes in various ways, but some terms that have no relation to love and romance get connected and create confusions among people. Two of such terms that have the issue are cuddle and snuggle and have their differences. The main difference between them is interesting to note and becomes apparent that they differ vastly. Cuddling gets defined as the act of taking someone on your arm to show love in a romantic manner whereas snuggling gets defined as the act of relaxing in a random manner at home or in bed.
Comparison Chart
| Basis of Distinction | Cuddle | Snuggle |
| Definition | The act of taking someone on your arm to show love in a romantic manner. | The act of relaxing in a random manner at home or in bed. |
| Origin | Usage began in the early 16th-century but origin unknown. | Originated from the English language term snug that means something that is cozy or warm in the 17th century. |
| Action | People just hold their arms around the other, and wrap them from the shoulder towards the back or the hip and then pull closer | The arms and body position also changes until the individual feels comfortable. |
| Example | “All things considered, you seem to be holding up pretty well,” Dean said to his wife as they cuddled beneath cool sheets in the dwindling hours of the evening. | “For the first time since he left home, she consciously let her mind go back to those fond memories – times when she would snuggle up on her father’s lap and fall asleep. |
What is Cuddle?
Cuddle is the act of holding someone in your arms to show love and affection towards them in a romantic style. While cuddling is specific to showing romance and hugging each other in that manner, many cultures have it as a way of greeting each other and is not considered awkward in public gatherings. But in the civilized world, it is particular between two people who get romantically associated with each other. The act itself is straightforward where people just hold their arms around the other, and wrap them from the shoulder towards the back or the hip and then pull closer. While some of these actions last for few seconds, some go on for minutes. Another explanation for a cuddle is that the romance does not belong to two people of opposite sex but between two individuals who love each other such as mother and son, father and daughter among others. An excellent way to explaining the meaning maybe to look at the sentences. “All things considered, you seem to be holding up pretty well,” Dean said to his wife as they cuddled beneath cool sheets in the dwindling hours of the evening. The second sentence that helps in explaining it more goes as; “Matthew whined while Carmen cuddled him, and Natalie couldn’t be consoled until Alex lifted her from the carriage.” We see that both the sentences show a way of expressing the feelings and does not have to be particular between distinct beings and their involvement with each other.
What is Snuggle?
Snuggle is the act of getting into a comfortable position that makes you warm, especially in the bed or on the sofa. It gets explained in a simple manner, that when you are sitting on a couch with legs on the floor, sometimes there is urge of relaxing more and people take shoes off and keep their feet on the sofa. While doing this, the arms and body position also changes until the individual feels comfortable. It becomes explicit for people at homes; no one snuggles when at the office, this means an informal tone associated with a snuggle. Most people at work have to keep a level maintained and therefore do not have the luxury of snuggling. A good way of explaining the meaning maybe to look at the sentences. “For the first time since he left home, she consciously let her mind go back to those fond memories – times when she would snuggle up on her father’s lap and fall asleep. The second sentence goes as; “He let her snuggle there in her silence, the only sound the swish of the windshield wipers blowing away the snow.” It does not have any relation with someone else, a person snuggles on their own and does so while doing nothing, watching movies or just enjoying their cell phone. The word originated from the English language term snug that means something that is cozy or warm and then integrated into the tongue later in the 17th century in the current state.
Key Differences between Cuddle and Snuggle
- Cuddling gets defined as the act of taking someone on your arm to show love in a romantic manner whereas snuggling gets defined as the act of relaxing in a random manner at home or in bed.
- The word snuggle originated from the English language term snug that means something that is cozy or warm and then integrated into the tongue later in the 17th century in the current state. Whereas word cuddle came from unknown origins but started in the early 16th century.
- Sentence usage of cuddle goes as; “Matthew whined while Carmen cuddled him, and Natalie couldn’t be consoled until Alex lifted her from the carriage.” Whereas sentence usage of cuddle goes as; “He let her snuggle there in her silence, the only sound the swish of the windshield wipers blowing away the snow.”
- Two people get involved in the act of cuddling where one person takes the other in their arms, whereas a person gets to snuggle on their own and do not require anyone else.
- To snuggle, the arms and body position also changes until the individual feels comfortable. On the other hand, people just hold their arms around the other, and wrap them from the shoulder towards the back or the hip and then pull closer for cuddling.