as in to spoil
to treat with great or excessive care
the college president is a past master at dandling wealthy alumni
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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
-
Republicans have long held on to hope that Valadao might be able to hold on to his San Joaquin Valley district, spoiling Democratic hopes for a flip there.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
-
Trailing by two games, San Antonio made a statement and spoiled the party at Madison Square Garden for Game 3.—
Leocciano Callao,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Verb
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There are also wellness rooms for visitors to nurse, conduct prayers or otherwise use in private, quiet areas on the lower level of the museum and the lower level of Home Court.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
-
Perez is nursing a sore right thumb.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
Could baby owls and eagles be the key to stopping the spread of bird flu?—
John Lauritsen,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
-
The brothers were each two years apart in age, but younger siblings were never babied; Nick recalled being on the receiving end of numerous pummelings by his older brothers.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Feelings could run deeper (and be a lot bigger) than usual, and the impulse to indulge, overspend, overpromise or assume everyone is on the same page is no exception.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
9 June 2026
-
But instead of paranoia, Spielberg indulges openness.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Virginia Dulles was the opposite of Louanne Bixby—even a hundred children couldn’t exhaust her need to mother them.—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
Saturday Night Live host Matt Damon was cast as the adoring husband in Mom, an entirely inoffensive movie where nothing bad happens—something that mothers everywhere will enjoy.—
William Vaillancourt,
Rolling Stone,
10 May 2026
Verb
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Too few advocates Former teammates, including star cornerback Richard Sherman, thought Seahawks coach Pete Carroll coddled Wilson early in the quarterback's career, leading to resentment from members of a defense that led the league in points allowed across an NFL-record four consecutive seasons.—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
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Still, James Bond media can't coddle our fears.—
Jordan Minor,
PC Magazine,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Under Meza, player cliques developed, stars were pampered, discipline waned.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
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The service, though less than efficient, is delivered with unfailing Midwestern goodwill; rooms are spartan but have pampering touches such as heated bathroom floors and beds as soft as ermine.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Down at the bottom of the hierarchy, or really not ranked at all, is Lucien (Jérémy Gillet), a fey and cosseted twink of privilege who longs to meet Jim but is kept at home, safely away from anything gay, by his domineering mother.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
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Earthy, moody colors cosset wellness-seekers in the treatment rooms, making way for organic cream hues in the diminutive swimming pool.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dandle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dandle. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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