noun
- a person who treats someone with excessive care and protection, especially in a way that prevents them from becoming independent or resilient
Usage: often disapproving
Examples
- The teacher was criticized for being a mollycoddler who never challenged her students.
- His mother was such a mollycoddler that he couldn’t even tie his own shoes at age ten.
- The coach refused to be a mollycoddler and pushed the team to work harder.
- She didn’t want to be seen as a mollycoddler, so she let her daughter face the consequences.
- The principal warned parents against being mollycoddlers who solve every problem for their children.
- As a mollycoddler, he constantly made excuses for his son’s poor behavior.