Meaning & use
coddle someone
Last updated
Meaning
verbtransitivedisapproving
To treat someone in an overly protective or indulgent way, making them too comfortable or dependent.
Grammar: Takes an object: coddle someone. It is not used without an object.
Patterns
- coddle someone
- coddle a child
- coddle someone too much
If you coddle your children too much, they may never learn to solve problems on their own.
The coach was criticized for coddling his star player.
She felt her boss was coddling her and not giving her real responsibility.
Word forms
| third person singular | coddles someone |
|---|---|
| past tense | coddled someone |
| past participle | coddled someone |
| -ing form | coddling someone |
Common combinations
- coddle a child
- Some parents coddle a child so much that the child never learns independence.
- coddle someone too much
- You shouldn't coddle him too much; he needs to face reality.
- be accused of coddling
- The school was accused of coddling students who broke the rules.
- coddle the rich
- Critics say the new tax plan coddles the rich.
Synonyms and how they differ
- pamper
- Pamper often means to give someone nice treats or luxury, while coddle focuses on overprotecting and making someone too dependent.
- baby
- Baby is more informal and means to treat someone like a baby; coddle is slightly more formal and critical.
- mollycoddle
- Mollycoddle is a stronger, often humorous word for coddle, showing even more excessive care.
- spoil
- Spoil means to harm someone's character by giving too much; coddle focuses on protection rather than indulgence.
Opposites
Word family
- coddled adjective
- Describing someone who has been treated too protectively.
- coddling noun
- The act of treating someone with excessive care.
Commonly confused: coddle someone or cuddle?
coddle someone vs cuddle
Cuddle means to hold someone close affectionately; coddle means to overprotect. They sound similar but have different meanings.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'coddle someone' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Coddle someone' means to treat them with excessive care, so 'coddled her plants with too much water' fits. The other options use 'coddle' with meanings like 'drive' or 'persuade', which are not correct.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “coddle someone”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.