MOLLYCODDLE Synonyms: 51 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'mollycoddle' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of mollycoddle are baby , humor , indulge , pamper , and spoil . While all these words mean "to show undue favor to a person's desires and feelings," mollycoddle suggests an excessive degree of care and attention to another's health or welfare. // refused to mollycoddle her malingering son

Q: In what contexts can 'baby' take the place of 'mollycoddle'?

The synonyms baby and mollycoddle are sometimes interchangeable, but baby suggests excessive care, attention, or solicitude. // babying students by grading too easily

Q: When would 'humor' be a good substitute for 'mollycoddle'?

While in some cases nearly identical to mollycoddle , humor stresses a yielding to a person's moods or whims. // humored him by letting him tell the story

Q: When might 'indulge' be a better fit than 'mollycoddle'?

In some situations, the words indulge and mollycoddle are roughly equivalent. However, indulge implies excessive compliance and weakness in gratifying another's or one's own desires. // indulged myself with food at the slightest excuse

Q: When can 'pamper' be used instead of 'mollycoddle'?

Although the words pamper and mollycoddle have much in common, pamper implies inordinate gratification of desire for luxury and comfort with consequent enervating effect. // pampered by the amenities of modern living

Q: Where would 'spoil' be a reasonable alternative to 'mollycoddle'?

The meanings of spoil and mollycoddle largely overlap; however, spoil stresses the injurious effects on character by indulging or pampering. // foolish parents spoil their children

mollycoddle

verb

ˈmä-lē-ˌkä-dᵊl

Definition of mollycoddle

as in to spoil

to treat with great or excessive care refused to mollycoddle her malingering son and sent him off to school

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the verb mollycoddle contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of mollycoddle are baby, humor, indulge, pamper, and spoil. While all these words mean "to show undue favor to a person's desires and feelings," mollycoddle suggests an excessive degree of care and attention to another's health or welfare.

refused to mollycoddle her malingering son

In what contexts can baby take the place of mollycoddle?

The synonyms baby and mollycoddle are sometimes interchangeable, but baby suggests excessive care, attention, or solicitude.

babying students by grading too easily

When would humor be a good substitute for mollycoddle?

While in some cases nearly identical to mollycoddle, humor stresses a yielding to a person's moods or whims.

humored him by letting him tell the story

When might indulge be a better fit than mollycoddle?

In some situations, the words indulge and mollycoddle are roughly equivalent. However, indulge implies excessive compliance and weakness in gratifying another's or one's own desires.

indulged myself with food at the slightest excuse

When can pamper be used instead of mollycoddle?

Although the words pamper and mollycoddle have much in common, pamper implies inordinate gratification of desire for luxury and comfort with consequent enervating effect.

pampered by the amenities of modern living

Where would spoil be a reasonable alternative to mollycoddle?

The meanings of spoil and mollycoddle largely overlap; however, spoil stresses the injurious effects on character by indulging or pampering.

foolish parents spoil their children

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 mollycoddle Both sides are mollycoddling their own predicaments with this talk. — Chad Pergram, Fox News, 15 Mar. 2018 You’re not mollycoddled during the week and are expected to act as any professional crew member would. — Helen Iatrou, Robb Report, 14 Sep. 2023 This mollycoddled outdated practices, like harvesting by hand. — The Economist, 14 Dec. 2017 Her poise is the result of a loving yet punctilious upbringing by parents determined that their fame and its accompanying perks were not going to mollycoddle their two children. — Michael Callahan, Town & Country, 1 Aug. 2018 So football generally, and pro football specifically, helped reassure the country that American men were not mollycoddled softies. — James Surowiecki, New York Times, 19 Dec. 2019 Koenig may have supported Bernie Sanders in 2016, but Sanders’s mollycoddling platform never approaches the real-life perplexities that Koenig — a pop poet — sings about. — Armond White, National Review, 10 Dec. 2019

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mollycoddle

Verb

Whether they're getting greased after a Super Bowl or spoiling All-Star rosters, does any city's poles get as much attention as Philadelphia's?

— Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026
Both suet and hummingbird nectar are very susceptible to spoiling from the heat.

— Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 July 2026

Definition of spoil

Verb

Fiji's Selestino Ravutaumada was nursing the rolling ball when Adams reached between his legs and touched it down for a try.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
The video assistant referee called for a review of the play while the two were down getting tended to by trainers, leaving the Americans to nurse their lead down a man for the rest of the game.

— Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of nurse

Verb

Making price info less accessible The order to be voted on later this month includes a few other changes that will please ISPs and their lobby groups.

— Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 6 July 2026
Oviedo residents turned out by the hundreds for the sunny afternoon of crowd-pleasing contests and down-home edibles at tiny booths lining a grassy lot next to the Meat World parking lot.

— Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 July 2026

Definition of please

Verb

An emphasis on wellness means not only pampering spa treatments but advanced health tech, movement, and meditation sessions over an entire floor.

— Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
In the Concierge collection of suites on Norwegian Joy, you will also be pampered with spacious accommodations, concierge service, and private dining.

— Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 July 2026

Definition of pamper

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“Mollycoddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mollycoddle. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of mollycoddle

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