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To mollycoddle someone is to treat them with excessive softness, protection, or indulgence. The word carries the sense that kindness has become overdone and that a little resilience might now be overdue.
Quick facts
Pronunciation
Meaning
Mollycoddle means to spoil, pamper, or handle someone too gently. It usually suggests excessive care rather than healthy support. The word often appears in discussions about parenting, authority, or character.
Absurdity
Mollycoddle feels absurd because it turns overprotection into something fluffy and overdecorated. The sound is so soft and rounded that the word itself seems padded.
Word history
Mollycoddle developed in the 19th century and is thought to combine Molly, once used as a pet form of Mary and sometimes associated historically with softness or fussiness, with coddle, meaning to treat gently or overprotect. The word has long carried a note of disapproval.
Usage today
Yes, though it sounds somewhat old-fashioned. It still appears in debates about toughness, parenting, education, and leadership.
Examples
Use it well
Use mollycoddle when you want a colorful way to criticize excessive softness or overprotection. It works well in opinion writing, commentary, and character description.
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