1
2
as in to spoil
to treat with great or excessive care
accused the judiciary of coddling criminals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of coddle
Still, James Bond media can't coddle our fears.
—
Jordan Minor,
PC Magazine,
1 June 2026
Viewed harshly, Hacks is less a great Hollywood comedy than a deeply coddling fantasy, but there’s also a softer, more interesting way to read it.
—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
This is why Maryland, along with policymakers everywhere, should think carefully about the current approach of coddling parents and children.
—
Torrey Snow,
Baltimore Sun,
27 May 2026
No matter how much his disability impacted his daily routine, Nic notes that his parents never coddled him.
—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for coddle
Jordan Minor,
PC Magazine,
1 June 2026
Viewed harshly, Hacks is less a great Hollywood comedy than a deeply coddling fantasy, but there’s also a softer, more interesting way to read it.
—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
This is why Maryland, along with policymakers everywhere, should think carefully about the current approach of coddling parents and children.
—
Torrey Snow,
Baltimore Sun,
27 May 2026
No matter how much his disability impacted his daily routine, Nic notes that his parents never coddled him.
—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for coddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coddle
Verb
-
Also contaminated are fish, staples of Midwestern fish fries and fish boils, and an important part of the diet of Indigenous tribes, certain immigrant populations and communities of color.
-
Continue boiling at a moderate, steady rate, without stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes more or until caramel is a rich brown color but not burnt.
Verb
-
Outside the Lineage warehouse Thursday morning, the smell of heavy smoke was already being replaced with that of spoiling food and filthy water.
-
Against Australia in the last 16, Argentina were again labouring when faced with an inferior opponent, digging in and determined to spoil their World Cup dreams.
Verb
-
Teams can sub out two-way contract players at any time, but teams cannot poach two-way contract players from other organizations.
-
This year, Tencent poached an OpenAI researcher to become its chief AI scientist.
Verb
-
Onboard, guests can indulge at eight different restaurants, ranging in style from Pan-Asian and French to poolside pizza and a steakhouse.
-
Chris is a freelance journalist who, when not writing, skywatching, playing games or building Lego, indulges his taste for horror, sci-fi and the post-apocalyptic.
Verb
-
For the past six months, the Aussies have stewed – and rallied — behind a one-word analysis from the World Cup draw that put them in the same four-team pod with Team USA, Turkey and Paraguay.
-
This idea’s been stewing in my brain ever since.
Verb
-
The evidence suggests helping people with physical and cognitive limitations stay home costs states less than the alternative, which is nursing home care.
-
Christian Pulisic, nursing a calf injury, may not play, and several players with yellow cards (Folarin Balogun, Antonee Robinson, Chris Richards and Tyler Adams) likely won't see the field at all.
Verb
-
After years of exam leaks, persistently high youth unemployment, and opportunities slipping further out of reach, their simmering frustration is sparking a demand for accountability that many say can no longer be ignored.
-
The matter simmered until February 24, 1976, when the board, after one of its regular meetings, asked Irving Carroll and Ernest Valenze, the principals of Island Trees’ two high schools, to remove the books from the library shelves.
Verb
-
Although you are deeply held, Arrigo is not about pampering.
-
But a man in Scotland came up with an eye-popping plan to try to pamper his pooped peepers.
Cite this Entry
“Coddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coddle. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
