coddle

verb

cod·​dle ˈkä-dᵊl 

coddled; coddling ˈkä-dᵊl-iŋ 

ˈkäd-liŋ

transitive verb

1

: to cook (something, such as eggs) in liquid slowly and gently just below the boiling point

coddled the eggs for the Caesar salad

2

: to treat with extreme or excessive care or kindness : pamper

accused the court of coddling criminals

colleges that coddle their athletes

coddler

ˈkä-dᵊl-ər 

ˈkäd-lər

noun

Synonyms of coddle

• boil
• poach
• stew
• simmer

Examples of coddle in a Sentence

The judges were accused of coddling criminals.

a hearty, traditional breakfast that included coddled eggs

Recent Examples on the Web

They shouldn’t be coddled; instead, they should be challenged. — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 24 June 2026

Still, James Bond media can't coddle our fears. — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 1 June 2026

She has been coddled and cloistered within her city, but the spreading vegetation interferes with that way of life. — Hannah Gold, New Yorker, 17 June 2026

This lifestyle caused many citizens to accuse the military of coddling the enemy. — Helaine Williams, Arkansas Online, 20 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

perhaps altered from caudle "to administer a caudle to," verbal derivative of caudle

Note: The meaning "to pamper," earlier "to treat as if in need of nursing," attested from the second half of the 18th century, cannot be related with certainty to the cooking sense and may be of distinct origin.

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for coddle

• caudal
• caudle
• dawdle
• model
• twaddle
• waddle
• remodel

Kids Definition

coddle

verb

cod·​dle ˈkäd-ᵊl 

coddled; coddling ˈkäd-liŋ 

-ᵊl-iŋ

1

: to cook slowly in water below the boiling point

coddle eggs

2

: to treat with excessive care or kindness