as in pampering
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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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Recent Examples of coddling
Emil Steiner, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
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
Avoid over-coddling; instead, use play, treats, and touch to build confidence.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025
Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 25 Nov. 2025
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
Noun
The popularity and success of the Chiefs prior to the 2025 Super Bowl, led to countless complaints of favorable officiating and League coddling from disgruntled fans and hot take pundits.
—Emil Steiner, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
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
Avoid over-coddling; instead, use play, treats, and touch to build confidence.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
True American industrial strength rests on productivity, innovation, competition, and access to global supply chains, not on coddling producers behind walls of higher prices.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 25 Nov. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coddling
Noun
-
Butler service adds a touch of luxury for those seeking extra pampering.—
Allison Tibaldi,
USA Today,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Start the day with a swim in one of the hotel’s three infinity pools before retreating to the bar for a lunchtime cocktail, or the spa for pampering.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Aim for just before boiling (195 to 205°F) for French press coffee.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Therefore, boiling potassium-rich foods may reduce their nutrient content.—
Amy Brownstein,
Verywell Health,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
While photography was strictly off limits in certain creative hubs to avoid spoiling unannounced figurines currently in development, the atmosphere on-site remained incredibly jovial.—
Robert Lang,
Deadline,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Winter Storm Fern is already spoiling weekend travel plans for Charlotte airport passengers, with a forecast of snow, sleet, and freezing rain looming over the state.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The novel is in many ways a string of dazzlingly deadpan and sharp observations about navigating the strange world of now, from predictive advertising to sugar babying to dead college friends.—
Jasmine Vojdani,
Vulture,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Valentine’s Day is all about indulging your senses, especially your sense of smell.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
3 Feb. 2026
-
By indulging his endless, self-destructive reserves of contempt, Doug chances upon a truth, not unlike what Oliver Stone did with JFK.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Huerter, who played under Brown’s Sacramento Kings, checked into the game for the Pistons in the fourth quarter with Detroit nursing a 30-point lead and made his first basket with his new team with just over six minutes left in the final frame.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
7 Feb. 2026
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Peterson suggested the Hornets intend on being cautious with White, who’s nursing a left calf strain.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Coddling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coddling. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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