Nest — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈnest/

Meaning & Definition of Nest

Nest (noun)

  1. a bed or receptacle prepared by an animal and especially a bird for its eggs and young
  2. a place or specially modified structure serving as an abode of animals and especially of their immature stages
  3. a receptacle resembling a bird's nest

Nest (verb)

  1. to build or occupy a nest, settle in or as if in a nest
  2. to fit compactly together or within one another, embed
  3. to form a nest for

Nest (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a place or environment that favors the development of something

    "suspected that the elite private universities were a nest of antigovernment sentiments"

    similar: breeding ground, hotbed, hothouse, nidus, nursery, seedbed, seminary
    related: crucible, base, capital, center, core, cynosure, eye, focus, heart, hub, mecca, nucleus, seat, headquarters

  2. a place where a person goes to hide or to avoid others

    "headed back to her cozy nest in the mountains for a little rest and relaxation"

    similar: concealment, covert, den, hermitage, hideaway, hideout, hidey-hole, lair
    related: blind, cover, nook, recess, hangout, harbor, harborage, haunt, haven, redoubt, refuge, retreat, shelter

Related Entry: Nest egg (noun)

Nest egg is a different word from Nest. The synonyms below are for nest egg, not for nest.

  1. a sum of money set aside for a particular purpose

    "paid for the computer out of his nest egg"

    similar: account, budget, deposit, fund, kitty, pool
    related: chest, coffer(s), assets, savings, savings account, bankroll, cache, collection, cushion, hoard, pocketbook, reserve, treasure, petty cash, pin money, pocket money, spending money

Related Entry: Nest eggs (noun)

Nest eggs is a different word from Nest. The synonyms below are for nest eggs, not for nest.

  1. a sum of money set aside for a particular purpose

    "paid for the computer out of his nest egg"

    similar: accounts, budgets, deposits, funds, kitties, pools
    related: chests, coffers, assets, savings, savings accounts, bankrolls, caches, collections, cushions, hoards, pocketbooks, reserves, treasures, petty cashes, pin money, pocket moneys, spending moneys

Related Entry: Mare's nest (noun)

Mare's nest is a different word from Nest. The synonyms below are for mare's nest, not for nest.

  1. a state in which everything is out of order

    "the lack of planning had resulted in the city's evacuation being a mare's nest of epic proportions"

    similar: chance-medley, chaos, confusion, disarrangement, disarray, dishevelment, disorder, disorderedness, disorderliness, disorganization, free-for-all, havoc, heck, hell, jumble, mess, messiness, misorder, muddle, muss, shambles, snake pit, tumble, welter
    related: anarchy, lawlessness, misrule, riot, knot, snarl, tangle, labyrinth, maze, web, maelstrom, storm, bollix, clutter, litter, mishmash, shuffle, hodgepodge, medley, miscellany, morass, motley
    opposite: order, orderliness
    near: method, pattern, plan, system

Related Entry: Crow's nest (noun)

Crow's nest is a different word from Nest. The synonyms below are for crow's nest, not for nest.

  1. as in tower, watchtower

    similar: aerie, tower, watchtower, lookout, observatory, outlook, overlook, promontory

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Nest

The most common words with a similar meaning to Nest:

breeding ground, hotbed, hothouse, nidus, nursery, seedbed, seminary, concealment, covert, den, hermitage, hideaway, hideout, hidey-hole, lair

Related Words for Nest

crucible, base, capital, center, core, cynosure, eye, focus, heart, hub, mecca, nucleus, seat, headquarters, blind, cover, nook, recess, hangout, harbor, harborage, haunt, haven, redoubt, refuge, retreat, shelter

Word Forms of Nest

Inflections: nested, nesting, nests

Origin & Etymology of Nest

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German nest nest, Latin nidus

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Nest

Words & Phrases Containing Nest

nest egg, bird's-nest fern, bird's nest soup, crow's nest, empty-nest syndrome, feather one's nest, hornet's nest, love nest

Frequently Asked Questions about Nest

What does "Nest" mean?

"Nest" means a bed or receptacle prepared by an animal and especially a bird for its eggs and young. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a bed or receptacle prepared by an animal and especially a bird for its eggs and young. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Nest"?

Other words for "Nest" include breeding ground, hotbed, hothouse, nidus, nursery, seedbed, seminary and concealment. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Nest" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Nest"?

There are 42 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Nest". Common alternatives include breeding ground, hotbed, hothouse, nidus, nursery, seedbed, seminary, concealment, covert and den.

How do you use "Nest" in a sentence?

Examples of "Nest" in a sentence: "suspected that the elite private universities were a nest of antigovernment sentiments"; "headed back to her cozy nest in the mountains for a little rest and relaxation".

Is "Nest" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Nest" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Nest" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Nest" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Nest"?

"Nest" is pronounced /ˈnest/.

What is the origin of the word "Nest"?

"Nest" comes from Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German nest nest, Latin nidus. First known use: before 12th century.