coddle

verb

ˈkä-dᵊl How to pronounce coddle (audio)
Definition of coddlenext
1
as in to boil
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

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2
as in to spoil
to treat with great or excessive care accused the judiciary of coddling criminals

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 coddle By contrast, Republicans say, Democrats coddle criminals and disparage police. — Jonathan Zimmerman, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2025 Unfortunately, our entire national ideology is predicated on coddling the feelings of women and minorities, and demoralizing competent white men. — Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 4 Feb. 2025 For either short trips to the store or long, leisurely road trips the E 450 is made to coddle you. — Kristin Shaw, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025 As Colvin learned soon after landing in central Florida, the profession doesn’t coddle its newcomers. — Brendan I. Koerner, WIRED, 13 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for coddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coddle
  1. boil
  2. spoil
  3. poach
  4. indulge
  5. stew
  6. nurse
  7. simmer
  8. pamper
Verb
  • While boiling some rigatoni on the stovetop, simply toss whole cherry tomatoes, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a casserole dish and place two pucks of Boursin’s garlic-and-herb blend in the center.
    — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Many past infrared telescopes used cryogenic coolant to chill their detectors, but this is a finite resource that gradually boils off in space, limiting mission lifetimes.
    — Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of boil
Verb
  • Dodge won't spoil the surprise by confirming if the last one will be based on the Charger or the Challenger (or maybe both), but the evidence suggests the latter is more likely.
    — Jack Fitzgerald, Car and Driver, 13 Feb. 2023
  • Farmers’ broiler chickens suffocate, and dairy products spoil.
    — Monica Mark, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Feb. 2023
Definition of spoil
Verb
  • Skip the butter on veggies or meats by air frying, poaching, or steaming.
    — Sarah Garone, Health, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Last season, Johnson led a turnaround and the Gophers went 19-15, but programs with more NIL money poached two of the team's top players by offering them more lucrative deals, the Pioneer Press reported.
    — Nick Halter, Axios, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of poach
Verb
  • For those who like to indulge, the in-room mini bar offers a diverse selection of beverages, including the Seychelles' national spirit: Takamaka rum.
    — Jason Chau, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Wedding photos are taken while the groom indulges a major secret.
    — Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2025
Definition of indulge
Verb
  • The first is to stew in resentment, replaying the interview in your head, convincing yourself that the hiring manager made a mistake.
    — Benjamin Laker, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Musk stews over Stargate As one of President Trump’s closest allies, Elon Musk was expected to reap a huge advantage over his rivals.
    — Andrew Ross Sorkin, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025
Definition of stew
Verb
  • At this historical moment, middle- and upper-class European women were increasingly urged to nurse their own babies for growing fear that wet nurses—usually of lower social rank, and sometimes another race—contributed to infant mortality.
    — The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 13 Mar. 2025
  • With Concerning Elbow Injury Rafael Devers Injury: Alex Cora Gives Concerning Update On Red Sox Star Devers has been nursing a shoulder injury which hampered him in 2024.
    — Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of nurse
Verb
  • He’s acted as a House liaison for Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) amid simmering tensions over budget reconciliation and can often be seen shuttling to the weekly conference meetings run by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA).
    — David Sivak, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 13 Mar. 2025
  • But dodging it’s nearly impossible for most New Yorkers, so the dread just keeps simmering.
    — Staff report, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2025
Definition of simmer
Verb
  • Pooches will be pampered with puppuccinos and even a doggy butler!
    — Felicity Carter, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Want to hang out with George and Amal Clooney on Italy’s Lake Como and be pampered to the hilt, all for a good cause?
    — Nick Vivarelli for Variety, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of pamper

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Cite this Entry

“Coddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coddle. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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