overprotecting
Shielding too much
Overprotecting is shielding someone—usually a child—from harm or difficulty to an excessive degree.
The word implies that protection has crossed into counterproductive territory, preventing normal development or independence: By overprotecting her kids, she left them unprepared for the real world.
Parents accused of overprotecting often bristle at the judgment embedded in the term.
Overindulgent, protective treatment
- babyingTreating as helpless
- pamperingLavish attentive care
- spoilingCausing ruin or decay
- indulgingSatisfying a craving
doting · sheltering · shielding · cushioning · insulating · swaddling · cosseting · mollycoddling
Excessive control over details
- domineeringAggressively asserting control
- authoritarianFavoring absolute control
- overbearingArrogantly dominating in manner
- dictatorialImposing absolute control
bossy · commanding · coercive · manipulative · autocratic · oppressive · tyrannical · high-handed
Rotary-wing aircraft
- intrusiveInvading others' privacy
- meddlesomeProne to interfering
- interferingIntruding in others' affairs
- watchfulCarefully attentive, observant
overinvolved · overshadowing · overzealous · monitoring · surveillance · shadowing · tracking · checking
Actively protecting something
- defendingProtecting against harm
- safeguardingPreventing harm or loss
- screeningEvaluative selection process
- bufferingTemporary data accumulation
isolating · secluding · preventing · blocking · intercepting · filtering · sanitizing · childproofing
coddling
Overindulgent, protective treatment
indulging · doting · sheltering · shielding · cushioning · insulating · swaddling · cosseting · mollycoddling · overindulgent
micromanaging
Excessive control over details
- domineeringAggressively asserting control
- authoritarianFavoring absolute control
- overbearingArrogantly dominating in manner
dictatorial · bossy · commanding · coercive · manipulative · autocratic · oppressive · tyrannical · high-handed · imperious
helicopter
Rotary-wing aircraft
- intrusiveInvading others' privacy
- meddlesomeProne to interfering
- interferingIntruding in others' affairs
watchful · overinvolved · overshadowing · overzealous · monitoring · surveillance · shadowing · tracking · checking · following
guarding
Actively protecting something
- defendingProtecting against harm
- safeguardingPreventing harm or loss
- screeningEvaluative selection process
buffering · isolating · secluding · preventing · blocking · intercepting · filtering · sanitizing · childproofing · precautionary
fearful
Full of fright
- worriedTroubled by uncertainty
- anxiousTroubled by uncertainty
- apprehensiveFearful of future events
hypervigilant · paranoid · obsessive · neurotic · panicked · phobic · insecure · tense · stressed · nervous
- overdoingoverdoing, overindulging, overkill, excess, overreacting
- overparentinghelicopter parenting, helicopter parent, mollycoddling, mollycoddle, coddling
- excessesoverindulgence, immoderation, intemperance, extravagance, gluttony
- frettingworrying, fussing, fretting, stewing, hand-wringing
overprotectingneglecting
Failing to attend to
abandoning · endangering · underprotecting · exposing · ignoring
overprotectingempowering
Giving authority or confidence
trusting · letting go · stepping back · free-range parenting · hands-off parenting