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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
In 2023, after Silicon Valley Bank and other institutions failed and were rescued by the Fed and other government institutions, Warsh blamed the episode on the Fed's coddling of the economy.
—Matt Peterson, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2026
And the coddling doesn’t stop there.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2026
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
Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Mar. 2026
Leisure bred laziness; coddling meant spoiling.
—Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
His whole combo — coddling yet revering — makes clear how this hopeless estate chugged along for so long.
—Theater Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Feb. 2026
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
Noun
Scapicchio rhetorically asked of the Democrats’ continuing pampering and coddling of this monster Proctor.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
In 2023, after Silicon Valley Bank and other institutions failed and were rescued by the Fed and other government institutions, Warsh blamed the episode on the Fed's coddling of the economy.
—Matt Peterson, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2026
And the coddling doesn’t stop there.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2026
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
Accordingly, accusations of coddling Communists threatened that relationship.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Mar. 2026
Leisure bred laziness; coddling meant spoiling.
—Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
His whole combo — coddling yet revering — makes clear how this hopeless estate chugged along for so long.
—Theater Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coddling
Noun
-
Madden's on Gull Lake, Brainerd Historic Madden's on Gull Lake lands the perfect balance between family fun and serious pampering.—
Jess Hoffert,
Midwest Living,
9 May 2026
-
Luxury wellness retreats promise more than poolside pampering — the best ones are built around amenities that genuinely support long-term health.—
Lauren Schuster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Several hours ahead or two days ahead, plunge beans into 3 to 4 quarts of rapidly boiling water.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
18 May 2026
-
In one experiment, a variable-density system allowed the robot to temporarily inflate and change buoyancy using vaporization of a low-boiling liquid.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Deep punctures can allow entry points for bacteria, so check your produce occasionally and use any bruised or damaged items early to keep them from spoiling.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
23 May 2026
-
Despite a sluggish start, the Atlanta Dream gutted out a 77-72 victory over the Dallas Wings on Tuesday night, spoiling the Wings' home opener and improving their record to 2-0 in the process.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
13 May 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
-
The charming thing is, McCartney is indulging a lot of youthful crushes in these songs.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
23 May 2026
-
Travel used to be about taking a break from that and indulging.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Its appointment-only showrooms in NoHo and Midtown are each equipped with full bars, so that patrons can deliberate over their ideal garment while nursing a cocktail on tap.—
Eric Twardzik,
Robb Report,
20 May 2026
-
Last week Miami’s offensive coaches had vaguely said Achane, who missed the season finale because of a shoulder injury, was nursing an injury.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Coddling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coddling. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
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