coddle
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
-
to treat with indulgence
-
to cook (something, esp eggs) in water just below the boiling point
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
coddlesimple
-
coddlessimple
-
have coddledperfect
-
has coddledperfect
-
am coddlingprogressive
-
are coddlingprogressive
-
is coddlingprogressive
-
have been coddlingperfect progressive
-
has been coddlingperfect progressive
Past
-
coddledsimple
-
had coddledperfect
-
was coddlingprogressive
-
were coddlingprogressive
-
had been coddlingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of coddle
1590–1600; variant of caudle, v. use of caudle
Explanation
While it is okay for parents to coddle, spoil, or pamper a young child, it’s a little unnerving when parents coddle, or pamper adult children. And downright weird when adult children wear Pampers. Coddle is an old word. Originally, it meant to cook gently in water that is near boiling, as in coddling an egg. It most likely gained its association with pampering and taking care of someone via a drink made for invalids that was prepared by coddling. “Mollycoddle,” a synonym for coddle, originally meant a person who coddles himself, or an effeminate man.
Vocabulary lists containing coddle
Ender's Game
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Warriors Don't Cry
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Restart
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I just think one of the cruelest things you can do is to coddle your child in a false reality versus helping them figure out the real reality.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026
Does Prada want to coddle you in an unravelling world?
From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026
But when things are rough, we don’t have to coddle each other.
From Slate • Sep. 29, 2025
This is all so he can coddle his sulky, wild teenage son while expecting Carrie to limit all extracurricular cuddles to her adopted kitty, Shoe.
From Salon • May 29, 2025
Mom, acid-eyes: You coddle her, you let her call the shots.
From "Wintergirls" by Laurie Halse Anderson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
