CODDLING Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

coddling 1 of 2

noun

as in pampering

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

coddling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of coddle

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

as in spoiling

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 coddling

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

North Carolina politician says Democrats are coddling criminals Records also list a September 2025 simple-assault charge and a March 2025 charge of assault on a female. — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026 This lifestyle caused many citizens to accuse the military of coddling the enemy. — Helaine Williams, Arkansas Online, 20 June 2026 Viewed harshly, Hacks is less a great Hollywood comedy than a deeply coddling fantasy, but there’s also a softer, more interesting way to read it. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 29 May 2026 This is why Maryland, along with policymakers everywhere, should think carefully about the current approach of coddling parents and children. — Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 27 May 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for coddling

Noun

A bit of pampering and self-care is in order as the moon aligns with Venus.

— USA TODAY, USA Today, 16 Aug. 2026
Certainly, my emotional release felt far less transactional than a response to five-star pampering.

— Charley Ward, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of pampering

Verb

Mix yeast, 2 cups flour and salt in large mixing bowl and pour in hot water (not boiling), mixing well.

— Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Getting that apparently trivial behavior working involved Home Assistant, MQTT, custom software, and more Claude, Codex and ChatGPT tokens than one should reasonably associate with boiling pasta.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of boiling

Verb

Remmick, Jimmy Crystal and Larry Lamb share an unrelenting desire to entertain, whether performing music outside a juke joint, indulging amusement with graphic violence or delighting the British reading public with scandal and drama.

— Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Whether the race ever happens, the idea is pure Shaq, a celebrity who's renowned for indulging his passions, of which cars are near the top of the list.

— Terry Baddoo, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of indulging

Verb

Herrick showed great character to play the full match despite nursing a knock to his right calf.

— Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Linebacker unit thinned out by injuries The left ankle injury Trey Moore sustained in Miami’s 26-3 loss to the Giants on Saturday means three of the four viable starters in this unit are nursing an injury.

— Omar Kelly August 24, Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of nursing

Browse Nearby Words

coddles

coddling

code

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Coddling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coddling. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of coddling

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

conscientious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes