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
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
Police officers, in my view, coddled Lorincz and failed to protect her Black neighbors, Owens among them.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29 Dec. 2025
As children, Keaton often dismissed her younger brother as a crybaby, scaredy cat and a nuisance who was coddled by their mother.
—Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 26 Dec. 2025
The wrecking-ball style is the way King played even at Longview (Texas) High, where his father was the coach, and didn’t coddle or protect his son, as Dickey remembers.
—Seth Emerson, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for coddle
Jim Cramer, CNBC, 18 Jan. 2026
Police officers, in my view, coddled Lorincz and failed to protect her Black neighbors, Owens among them.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29 Dec. 2025
As children, Keaton often dismissed her younger brother as a crybaby, scaredy cat and a nuisance who was coddled by their mother.
—Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 26 Dec. 2025
The wrecking-ball style is the way King played even at Longview (Texas) High, where his father was the coach, and didn’t coddle or protect his son, as Dickey remembers.
—Seth Emerson, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for coddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coddle
Verb
-
My blood was boiling a little bit.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Some liked to have them on hand, and others couldn’t fathom not boiling eggs themselves.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Canada’s comeback spoiled good performances by a pair of Anaheim Ducks.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The rampant speculation was also fueled by the existence of another clip in which Ansell appears to spoil a major plot point for a potential future season of the show.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is investigating three incidents of poaching involving mule deer bucks near Boise that have happened in recent months, according to a news release from the agency.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Game and Fish investigators requested camera video from homeowners in the areas where poaching activity was known to have occurred.—
Bryan Hendricks,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Some people think indulging our children’s unexpectedly sophisticated tastes is financially reckless, socially absurd, or proof that parenting culture has lost the plot.—
Melissa Petro,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Feb. 2026
-
This is your opportunity to indulge, experiment, and have a little design fun.—
Hannah Coates,
Vogue,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Cornbread is notable for its supreme moistness, and stewed cabbage and collars are piquant and satisfying.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
There’s no reason to stew over this for 12 years.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Hours after being treated at the hospital for his injuries and released from jail, LaBeouf was back out on the streets of New Orleans in a fresh outfit and nursing a beer.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Presumably, Ser Arlan helped nurse Dunk back to health, then just let the boy stick around.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In late 2023, an 11-year-old boy was killed in Springfield after a van driven by a Haitian immigrant collided with his school bus, igniting long-simmering tensions within the city over the Haitians’ growing numbers.—
Caitlin Hu,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Once the sauce is simmering, add the eggs and cook as directed.—
Robin Miller,
AZCentral.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In Paris, every self-pampering detail—naturellement—is honed to perfection.—
Hannah Seligson,
Vanity Fair,
12 Feb. 2026
-
One way to do so is to pamper that person as much as possible.—
Metro Creative Services,
Boston Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Coddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coddle. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
