spoon-feed

verb

ˈspün-ˌfēd 

spoon-fed ˈspün-ˌfed  ; spoon-feeding

transitive verb

1

: to feed by means of a spoon

2

a

: to present (information) so completely as to preclude independent thought

spoon-feed material to students

b

: to present information to in this manner

Examples of spoon-feed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The broadcasters are spoon-fed a talking point while noting that the Bears have lost nine games in a row, including all three under interim coach Thomas Brown. —Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2024

Brewer’s main complaint is that he isn’t being spoon-fed enough information on where the candidates stand on issues. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2024

Parents generally spoon-feed jars of pureed foods for a few months in the first year of life when introducing solids, but pouches marketed to parents of toddlers and older children have prolonged pureed food eating by years. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024

Buyers are proactive today, eager to find information through online research themselves rather than waiting for someone to spoon-feed it to them. —Kelly Hopping, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024

Reese Witherspoon is spoon-feeding us another exquisite ‘fit! —Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 6 Aug. 2024

To put it another way, neither the state legislators nor the governors had to break a sweat to draft and enact these measures — they were spoon-fed the texts. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2024

But Thanksgiving is upon us, and surely many of us will be ducking for cover as Uncle Chuck hurls social media talking points across the table — spoon-fed to him by an unholy algorithm tailored to reinforce his baser instincts. —Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 30 Oct. 2023

Marshall had stomach cancer at the time and was only supposed to be fed through a tube, New York Magazine reported, but Smith spoon-fed him chicken broth. —Jessica Sager, Peoplemag, 15 May 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for spoon-feed

• accede
• agreed
• airspeed
• alkyd
• bindweed
• chickweed
• concede
• decreed
• duckweed
• exceed
• flaxseed
• impede

Kids Definition

spoon-feed

verb

ˈspün-ˌfēd

spoon-fed

-ˌfed

; spoon-feeding

: to feed by means of a spoon