coddle
verb (used with object)
to treat tenderly; nurse or tend indulgently; pamper.
coddled
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past participleof coddle.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof coddle.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
coddleverb (used with object)to treat tenderly; nurse or tend indulgently; pamper.
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.
What the reporting revealed was a continuing debate over whether Gen Z is everything from coddled to unfairly stereotyped and how it will fare at work in the future.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
Better equipped to mother Boy No. 2 or stricken with learned helplessness from being coddled by an expert on my phone day in and day out?
From Slate ● May 10, 2026
The death of Manzo — who cut a national reputation by insisting that officials coddled criminals — only heightened a pervasive sense of vulnerability, especially in places like Michoacán.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 9, 2025
He’s Theo James’ character in “The Gentlemen,” which is worth mentioning because that Netflix series makes the coddled aristocracy look suave and more action-ready than most of them are.
From Salon ● Mar. 12, 2024
Still, it was hard for Aru to go to Mini’s house and see how she was fussed over and coddled and always tucked in at night….
From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi
