coddle

verb

cod·​dle ˈkä-dᵊl 

coddled; coddling ˈkäd-liŋ 

ˈkä-dᵊl-iŋ

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

ˈkäd-lər 

ˈkä-dᵊl-ər

noun

Synonyms

• boil
• parboil
• poach
• simmer
• stew

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

Antisemitic rhetoric, and even violence, sometimes masked as anti-Israel bile, must be combatted, not coddled. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 20 June 2025

Employees become more resilient and engaged when pushed to grow, not shielded and coddled from struggle. —Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025

Instead of coddling grass with irrigation and fertilizer to prevent it from going dormant, embrace this natural response. —Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Apr. 2025

Instead of doing anything to correct her delinquent son, Mahnaz coddles the boy and resents those who attempt to discipline him. —Peter Debruge, Variety, 22 May 2025

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