1
as in boiling
to cook in a liquid heated to the point that it gives off steam
a hearty, traditional breakfast that included coddled eggs
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2
as in spoiling
to treat with great or excessive care
accused the judiciary of coddling criminals
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in pampering
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Recent Examples of coddling
Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 Oct. 2025
Those softies are going to get more coddling.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Avoid over-coddling; instead, use play, treats, and touch to build confidence.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025
Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 7 Oct. 2025
Salicylic acid penetrates deep into the pores to dissolve away acne-causing debris, while coddling the skin barrier with a cocktail of ceramides and niacinamide.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
This is not about lowering expectations or coddling employees.
—Ruth Oh Reitmeier, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Traditional romantic comedies often ask us to fall in love with, or at least be charmed by, Lucy or Julie, but neither film is keen on that kind of coddling.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
His Victor is the product of a coddling mother (Mia Goth), who dies young and leaves him emotionally adrift, and a domineering father (Charles Dance), who molds him into a brilliant but heedless inventor.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 20 Aug. 2025
Trump has a habit of coddling enemies and abusing friends, neither of which serves our strategic interests.
—Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2025
This followed Ryan Clark accusing the Lakers of coddling LeBron’s son, Bronny James, as he won’t be required to travel while on G League team The South Bay Lakers due to the squad flying commercial.
—Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 21 Nov. 2024
In the snap, the dad of three, 39, can be seen focused on his phone in one hand while coddling a sleeping baby Lou in the other.
—Emma Aerin Becker, People.com, 4 Oct. 2024
Verb
The intense coddling and dysfunction within the family come to a head at the end of the show opener when a drunken Paul crashes a boat, killing his best friend’s girlfriend, Mallory (Madeline Popovich), and injuring all on board.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 Oct. 2025
Those softies are going to get more coddling.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Avoid over-coddling; instead, use play, treats, and touch to build confidence.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
Campbell has accused the SCORE Act of disadvantaging these groups while coddling the NCAA.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 7 Oct. 2025
Salicylic acid penetrates deep into the pores to dissolve away acne-causing debris, while coddling the skin barrier with a cocktail of ceramides and niacinamide.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
This is not about lowering expectations or coddling employees.
—Ruth Oh Reitmeier, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Traditional romantic comedies often ask us to fall in love with, or at least be charmed by, Lucy or Julie, but neither film is keen on that kind of coddling.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
His Victor is the product of a coddling mother (Mia Goth), who dies young and leaves him emotionally adrift, and a domineering father (Charles Dance), who molds him into a brilliant but heedless inventor.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 20 Aug. 2025
Trump has a habit of coddling enemies and abusing friends, neither of which serves our strategic interests.
—Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2025
This followed Ryan Clark accusing the Lakers of coddling LeBron’s son, Bronny James, as he won’t be required to travel while on G League team The South Bay Lakers due to the squad flying commercial.
—Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 21 Nov. 2024
In the snap, the dad of three, 39, can be seen focused on his phone in one hand while coddling a sleeping baby Lou in the other.
—Emma Aerin Becker, People.com, 4 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coddling
Verb
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There’s the ubiquitous sloshing of bright red hurricanes in curvaceous cocktail glasses, the sizzling of beignets in fryers and the bubbling of boiling crawfish on stovetops.—
Matt Alderton,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
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Chai is a traditional drink from India that's made from boiling black tea (often Assam tea) with milk and sugar.—
Mira Miller,
Verywell Health,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Without spoiling anything, Liberation’s ending doesn't quite stick the landing either.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Oct. 2025
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For the party’s new leadership, running Libertarian candidates and providing an outlet for their voters’ political perspective isn’t spoiling.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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This secluded, 75-acre Relais & Châteaux property — the first in North America – seamlessly blends rustic simplicity with extraordinary pampering.—
Suzanne Wright,
USA Today,
28 Oct. 2025
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Today, guests can enjoy a spot of pampering at the two-story Fairmont Spa, catch some rays at the rooftop pool, and sip cocktails while listening to live jazz at the Alter Ego library bar.—
Cu Fleshman,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The other people Ye tries to big-foot into indulging his perverse Peter Pan complex fare more poorly.—
Derek Robertson,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Oct. 2025
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Whether that’s indulging Wes Anderson’s imagination (as a three-time member of his ever-growing ensemble) or producing her own projects, Johansson always manages to surprise.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Conceivably one or two of them should have already been at Citi Field, but until finally summoning McLean to pitch Saturday, Stearns has been babying them in the minors.—
Bill Madden,
New York Daily News,
16 Aug. 2025
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However, some have criticized employer techniques for tracking in-office attendance as babying employees and demonstrating an unwarranted lack of trust.—
Scharon Harding,
ArsTechnica,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Jimenez’s union, SEIU-UHW, represents thousands of frontline health care workers including nursing home caregivers, respiratory therapists and hospital staff.—
Cathie Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
24 Oct. 2025
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Chouinard slashed his knee open while chopping ice and celebrated his 30th birthday nursing it in the cave.—
Maya Silver,
Outside,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Coddling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coddling. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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