infantilise
Make seem immature
Infantilise is the British spelling of infantilize, meaning to treat someone as though they were a child or infant, typically in a way that undermines their autonomy or intelligence.
The term often carries negative connotations, suggesting condescension or paternalism: The new policies infantilise employees by requiring approval for every minor decision.
It can also describe reducing something complex to an oversimplified form: Critics accused the documentary of infantilising the subject matter.
Overindulge or poach gently
- smotherDeprive of air
- mollycoddleOverindulge with excessive protection
- cossetTo overindulge with care
- pamperIndulge excessively
helicopter parenting · hover · babying · wrap in cotton wool · shield · fuss over · sheltered · overbearing
Act superior toward others
- talk down toSpeak condescendingly to someone
- belittleTo make something seem unimportant
- demeanLower in standing
- disrespectLack of regard
underestimate · dismiss · trivialize · diminish · disparage · undervalue · undermine · paternalize
Lacking ability to cope
- relianceState of needing support
- clinginessExcessive need for closeness
- immaturityUndeveloped condition
- vulnerabilityOpenness to harm
submissiveness · inadequacy · needy · regress · learned helplessness · passivity · dependence · powerlessness
Halted progression before completion
- underdevelopedInsufficiently grown or advanced
- immatureNot fully developed
- inhibitedHeld back by self-consciousness
- delayedMade to wait longer
impeded · hampered · restricted · thwarted · suppressed · stagnant · atrophy · hindrance
coddle
Overindulge or poach gently
- smotherDeprive of air
- mollycoddleOverindulge with excessive protection
- cossetTo overindulge with care
pamper · helicopter parenting · hover · babying · wrap in cotton wool · shield · fuss over · sheltered · overbearing · intrusive
condescend
Act superior toward others
- talk down toSpeak condescendingly to someone
- belittleTo make something seem unimportant
- demeanLower in standing
disrespect · underestimate · dismiss · trivialize · diminish · disparage · undervalue · undermine · paternalize · baby talk
helplessness
Lacking ability to cope
- relianceState of needing support
- clinginessExcessive need for closeness
- immaturityUndeveloped condition
vulnerability · submissiveness · inadequacy · needy · regress · learned helplessness · passivity · dependence · powerlessness · incapacity
arrested development
Halted progression before completion
- underdevelopedInsufficiently grown or advanced
- immatureNot fully developed
- inhibitedHeld back by self-consciousness
delayed · impeded · hampered · restricted · thwarted · suppressed · stagnant · atrophy · hindrance · constrained
infantiliseempower
Grant authority or confidence
enable · emancipate · liberate · capacitate · enfranchise
infantilize, infantilism, infantilized, infantilizing, infantilization, infantilizes, infantilised, infantilising, infantilisation