How to Use cradle in a Sentence

cradle

1 of 2 noun
  • She placed the phone back on its cradle.
  • A number of ships were resting in their cradles in the shipyard.
  • The pen can be placed in the cradle with the nib end up or down.
    — PCMAG, 26 Jan. 2024
  • Receivers who lunge and cradle in the air have nowhere to go.
    — Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
  • Side walls in the rear of the shoe create a nice cradle for the heel.
    — Outside, 9 Dec. 2025
  • With Tim Payne from the cradle to the grave.
    — Miami Herald, 1 June 2026
  • The deep heel cradle cups the heel, which will help fix the shaky step that occurs with flat feet.
    — Nikhita Mahtani, SELF, 13 Oct. 2022
  • The best way to store a boat on land is to leave it on a trailer or place it on jack stands and cradles.
    — Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 May 2026
  • That motor sits on a steel frame with a semi-double cradle.
    — New Atlas, 13 Dec. 2025
  • For the glass cradle or pad, use soapy water or vinegar and water.
    — Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 1 June 2023
  • This aluminum cradle is perfect for holding your cell phone for late-night video calls.
    — Arricca Elin Sansone, Woman's Day, 4 Jan. 2023
  • Instead, children under the age of two should sleep in their own crib, bassinet or cradle.
    — Sophie Reardon, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2022
  • But this is not a cradle-to-the-grave biography.
    — Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 4 Aug. 2025
  • In the mall the music was a cradle and all the mannikins in the windows wore clothes as bland as puree.
    — Negar Azimi, The New York Review of Books, 30 Mar. 2023
  • The grits cradle the saucy shrimp, which come together quickly while the grits stay warm on the stove.
    — The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
  • There’s a side shelf that can hold up to 20 pounds and a lid cradle that keeps your lid tucked away when not in use.
    — Quincy Bulin, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 July 2023
  • Normally biopics that are from cradle to the grave are sort of a terrible idea.
    — Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 10 Feb. 2024
  • This is a major reason why many wearable chargers opt for pins or cradles.
    — Victoria Song, The Verge, 6 Oct. 2023
  • The chairs, which come in a pair, have nicely rounded backrests that cradle your back from the base to the neck.
    — Sanah Faroke, Peoplemag, 16 Nov. 2023
  • Spinning locked up the side cradle and got Amerson’s shoulders to the mat.
    — oregonlive, 26 Feb. 2023
  • Just set the dumbbell in its cradle, twist the handle, and change the weight quickly and safely.
    — Kathleen Willcox, Popular Mechanics, 22 July 2022
  • Such clouds pose an unacceptable risk of lightning, which could kill a launch in the cradle.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2025
  • The pair stow easily with no storage tray or cradle required.
    — Mike Richard and Ebenezer Samuel, Men's Health, 9 Oct. 2022
  • Married couples shared a bed, and one of their younger children might sleep with them, though infants had cradles.
    — Bobbi Sutherland, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
  • The adapter goes in the cradle, which has a cable that attaches to the computer.
    — Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 22 Sep. 2022
  • The watches were brought in two at a time, in custom boxes that also served as charging cradles.
    — Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 3 Oct. 2023
  • In the photos, Travis can be seen down on one knee as Swift cradles his face in the sweet moment.
    — Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Baby boomers need a new cradle The baby boom burst has long been predicted.
    — Bychloe Berger, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2023
  • The barrel design sits on support cradles, meaning this sauna will need to be placed on an even and flat surface.
    — Addie Morton, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 July 2023
  • It’s also known for its wines and as a cradle of Christianity.
    — Feride Yalav-Heckeroth, CNN, 18 Mar. 2023

cradle

2 of 2 verb
  • She was cradling the injured man's head in her arms.
  • He cradled her face in his hands.
  • Lazarine asked the child as her mom cradled her in her arms.
    — Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The mother gets the child back and cradles it.
    — Literary Hub, 19 June 2026
  • Panahi mimed cradling a reptile the size of a kitten.
    — H. C. Wilentz, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
  • Then what about that knife cradled under his arm?
    — Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Her son shakes her shoulders, calls to her, tries to cradle her head.
    — New York Times, 21 Sep. 2021
  • Alina cradled her teacup, half awestruck.
    — Julia Ioffe, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Rogen said, cradling his trophy.
    — Mark Kennedy, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
  • They’re made with real leather and are cushioned to cradle your foot.
    — Christopher Murray May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Here, her grief is cradled by lo-fi fuzz and limber, distant horns.
    — Maria Nenet Barrios, Pitchfork, 18 June 2026
  • Look for shoes that have a deep heel cup to cradle your heels, a foam insole, and a deep toe box.
    — Jillian Kramer, Glamour, 30 Nov. 2020
  • Moran sits beside her, cradling Josephine and looking over at his wife with a big grin.
    — Christina Perrier, InStyle, 5 Jan. 2026
  • It’s also designed with cradling comfort in mind.
    — Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Chism then tangled mid-air with Jones while cradling the ball and crashing to the ground.
    — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 10 Aug. 2025
  • The Dosaze pillow has a unique curved shape to cradle your neck and help keep you aligned.
    — Lexie Sachs, Good Housekeeping, 17 May 2022
  • His girlfriend knelt beside him, cradling his head at one point and pressing her hand to his chest.
    — Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2026
  • And the pillowy nature of this pair will cradle your feet like a baby.
    — Mark Stock, menshealth.com, 19 Apr. 2023
  • Rebel yells and hearty laughter echoes up and down the streets and into the ancient peaks cradling the town.
    — Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 19 July 2023
  • Meghan added a photo of herself cradling the baby boy and kissing him on the head.
    — Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026
  • Devastated by this news, she’s shown alone, cradling her knees to her chest in a bed meant for two.
    — Brande Victorian, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 May 2023
  • The image shows one man cradling another in his lap in the dirt, by the roadside.
    — Diaa Hadid, NPR, 10 Apr. 2026
  • One by one, the artifacts come out, gently cradled and placed on a tarp.
    — Carolyn Wells, Longreads, 22 Feb. 2024
  • Underneath the grid hides a cushion of mushy fill that cradles her head.
    — Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Erroneous Fade cradled the ball and looked at me through glassy blue eyes.
    — Kiese Laymon, Vanity Fair, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Bereft and hungry mothers cradled their children, some on the edge of death.
    — Kareem Fahim, Washington Post, 12 Oct. 2023
  • The proud parents even shared a quick smooch as Jordan cradled his wife's bump.
    — Alex Ross, Peoplemag, 11 May 2023
  • Blaché recalled of their early friendship, cradling a mug of tea on a recent video call.
    — Sophia Nguyen, Washington Post, 10 Aug. 2023
  • There are stretchy pullover options, date night-ready strappy ones, and many more to cradle your boobs in style.
    — Sarah Madaus, SELF, 25 Aug. 2022
  • The back of the heel is cradled instead by a snug heel collar, which is good for heel lockdown.
    — Sarah Kester, Travel + Leisure, 30 Jan. 2024

Some of 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.

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