as in to spoil
to treat with great or excessive care
the college president is a past master at dandling wealthy alumni
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 dandle
The tale is pilfered from the Aeneid, but Virgil would blench to see the curtain rise on Jupiter, dandling Ganymede, a beautiful boy, upon his knee.
—
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
An hour later, Musk took X to New York and dandled him on his knee while being photographed for Time.
—Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2023
Vet emailed me a photo of Sly contentedly dandling a grandson in his lap.
—David Kamp, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The day after the election, Taaz Robinson, a fellow third-year, posted a picture on Buckingham’s Facebook page of Donald Trump as an infant being dandled by Vladimir Putin.
—Tara Bahrampour, Washington Post, 12 Oct. 2017
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
An hour later, Musk took X to New York and dandled him on his knee while being photographed for Time.
—Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2023
Vet emailed me a photo of Sly contentedly dandling a grandson in his lap.
—David Kamp, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The day after the election, Taaz Robinson, a fellow third-year, posted a picture on Buckingham’s Facebook page of Donald Trump as an infant being dandled by Vladimir Putin.
—Tara Bahrampour, Washington Post, 12 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dandle
Verb
-
Despite holding the lead for much of the game, Federico Chiesa’s 87th-minute equaliser threatened to spoil what was a near-complete performance.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Uber Eats’ new Fresh Guarantee means that if your fresh item arrives spoiled, damaged, stale, or past its best-by date, the company will ensure a full review and refund for eligible items.—
Abigail Wilt,
Southern Living,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Safety Nick Emmanwori, who's dealing with an ankle injury, is listed as doubtful, and running back Zach Charbonnet, who's nursing a foot injury, is listed as questionable.—
Anne Erickson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Brock Bowers, nursing an injured knee but active Sunday, caught just four passes for 38 yards.—
Colton Pouncy,
New York Times,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
So the big question now is, which type of football will baby Gianna grow up to play, if at all?—
Sari Hitchins,
Parents,
4 Sep. 2025
-
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
Verb
-
To tell the jokes that make others groan, but to do it wholeheartedly and keep the faith that there are people out there — their people — who will not only indulge, but truly adore, their senses of humor.—
Audrey Goldberg Ruoff,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
-
And what better excuse to get dressed up than to indulge and imbibe in a new dining experience?—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Really, the album is about tiring of mothering men who are great in bed but lack crucial social skills.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
-
She was born on July 10, 2024, to mother Jona, 26 and father Tony, 25, with two other siblings Pork Stew and Sweet Pork at the zoo in Chonburi, NorthJersey.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, reported.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
Throughout the film, he’s surrounded by artists and political pundits who consistently coddle his every whim (Chris Rock, Pharrell Williams, Drake and David Letterman, to name a few).—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
18 Sep. 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
Verb
-
Infused with the brand’s signature scent—a warm, sophisticated blend of amber, musk, and florals—this shampoo not only cleanses but also pampers the senses.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
24 Sep. 2025
-
They will also be pampered in a variety of opulent living areas including movie theater, gym.—
Bill Springer,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
While most art cars since the fifth installment had been cosseted, this one was present at the starting line for the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans.—
Trinity Francis,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
-
The downstairs dining room is intimate, cosseting and plush; upstairs is more relaxed and idiosyncratically chic.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
22 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dandle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dandle. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share