mollycoddle

/ˈmɑliˌkɑdəl/
noun
  1. A person who is pampered or overly protected.
    • Don't be such a mollycoddle — get out and try something new.
    • He grew up a mollycoddle, unable to do simple chores.
    • The team called him a mollycoddle because he complained about every little thing.
verb
  1. To treat someone with too much care and protection, often making them weak or unable to handle difficulties.
    • Parents should not mollycoddle their children too much, or they won't learn independence.
    • The coach refused to mollycoddle the players, insisting they work hard.
    • Stop mollycoddling your dog — he needs to learn to behave.
Antonyms
What does "mollycoddle" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean