as in to spoil
to treat with great or excessive care
the college president is a past master at dandling wealthy alumni
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Recent Examples of dandle
The tale is pilfered from the Aeneid, but Virgil would blench to see the curtain rise on Jupiter, dandling Ganymede, a beautiful boy, upon his knee.
—
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
An hour later, Musk took X to New York and dandled him on his knee while being photographed for Time.
—Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2023
Vet emailed me a photo of Sly contentedly dandling a grandson in his lap.
—David Kamp, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The day after the election, Taaz Robinson, a fellow third-year, posted a picture on Buckingham’s Facebook page of Donald Trump as an infant being dandled by Vladimir Putin.
—Tara Bahrampour, Washington Post, 12 Oct. 2017
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
An hour later, Musk took X to New York and dandled him on his knee while being photographed for Time.
—Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2023
Vet emailed me a photo of Sly contentedly dandling a grandson in his lap.
—David Kamp, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The day after the election, Taaz Robinson, a fellow third-year, posted a picture on Buckingham’s Facebook page of Donald Trump as an infant being dandled by Vladimir Putin.
—Tara Bahrampour, Washington Post, 12 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dandle
Verb
-
Russo places a few dry paper towels in the bag to absorb excess moisture and prevent spoiling.—
Randi Gollin,
Martha Stewart,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Choosing among loud, louder and loudest shirts, then contemplating whether to go with jorts or florts (don’t ask) and selecting the appropriate socks and crocs, Black finally is ready to go until Sarah Sherman shows up to spoil things.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Vientos manned first base Thursday with Jorge Polanco still nursing a sore Achilles tendon.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Wiseman was married to nurse Carroll Taylor, who died of cancer in 2020.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The brothers were each two years apart in age, but younger siblings were never babied; Nick recalled being on the receiving end of numerous pummelings by his older brothers.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Each new piece was crafted to be simple, functional, and beautiful, giving parents peace of mind and babies a nurturing space to grow.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Being gentle with yourself is a form of bravery, so go ahead and indulge your softer side.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Her girlfriend — a writer who understands the emotional and mental demands of creating — indulges her interests.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Perhaps pasta or pizza with cheese is so comforting because we’re literally being mothered by flowering plants and bovines?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
-
One way to combat that, as a gardener, is to start plants by seed instead of buying plants that someone else has started, watered and mothered for months.—
Henry Homeyer,
The Providence Journal,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
While Tony coddles his own bruised ego, there is clearly a greater reason for the cruel hijinks, which comes in the form of some significant cash.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Adelman does not coddle players.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
If getting pampered isn’t your thing, the 18-hole Championship golf course is popular and has hosted PGA and LPGA events.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
-
On a recent flight, I was pampered with five windows plus a separate armchair and chaise-style sofa that combine to form what the airline bills as the longest seat in commercial aviation.—
Michael Verdon,
Robb Report,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
On the first floor are some of the swishest quarters, with large rooms that benefit from floor-to-ceiling sash windows framed with thick, fringed curtains, original cornicing, cosseting color schemes of blue and rust, and large, comfy lounge areas with plenty of space to stretch out.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Bonds form with attendants who cosset customers for generations.—
Tom Sietsema,
Washington Post,
17 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dandle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dandle. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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