coddled; coddling
ˈkä-dᵊl-iŋ 
ˈkäd-liŋ
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
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
Increasingly, schools in California excessively coddle students by neglecting to impose penalties for late work, eliminating the possibility for a failing grade, and unlimited opportunities to redo exams and assignments.
—
Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 31 Jan. 2026
Goetz understood this disorder not as the product of scant civic resources or state retreat but rather as the result of liberal misrule—do-gooder bureaucrats, failed social programs, and a city that had coddled the undeserving and the criminal.
—Heather Ann Thompson, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
Then, in Los Angeles earlier this month, his locks were changed and the actor is now in need of a new permanent home to hang his designer cowboy hat and coddle his pets.
—Steve Garbarino, HollywoodReporter, 22 Jan. 2026
As recently as last April, Narasimhan told analysts on a conference call that Most Favored Nation pricing would be devastating for America, where drug companies had been coddled.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for coddle
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Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 31 Jan. 2026
Goetz understood this disorder not as the product of scant civic resources or state retreat but rather as the result of liberal misrule—do-gooder bureaucrats, failed social programs, and a city that had coddled the undeserving and the criminal.
—Heather Ann Thompson, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
Then, in Los Angeles earlier this month, his locks were changed and the actor is now in need of a new permanent home to hang his designer cowboy hat and coddle his pets.
—Steve Garbarino, HollywoodReporter, 22 Jan. 2026
As recently as last April, Narasimhan told analysts on a conference call that Most Favored Nation pricing would be devastating for America, where drug companies had been coddled.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for coddle
Cite this Entry
“Coddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coddle. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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