spoon-fed
Given without effort
Spoon-fed describes being given information or assistance in such small, easy portions that no effort or thought is required—like feeding a baby who can't yet manage a spoon.
The term is usually critical: Students today expect to be spoon-fed the answers.
Someone spoon-fed has been coddled rather than challenged to figure things out independently.
Lavished with indulgence
- babiedTreated with excessive care
- overprotectedGuarded to excess
- indulgedYielded to desire
- shelteredKept safe from harm
mollycoddled · cosseted · infantilized · hand-held · spoiled · overparented · smothered · nannied
Requiring outside support
- reliantRequiring external support
- helplessUnable to act independently
- unquestioningAccepting without challenge
- compliantYielding to others' wishes
docile · submissive · uncritical · receptive · accepting · obedient · acquiescent · unthinking
Partially digested already
- dumbed-downMade less intellectually demanding
- oversimplifiedMade misleadingly basic
- easyRequiring minimal effort
- effortlessRequiring no strain
unchallenging · bite-sized · broken-down · regurgitated · summarized · condensed · filtered · curated
pampered
Lavished with indulgence
- babiedTreated with excessive care
- overprotectedGuarded to excess
- indulgedYielded to desire
sheltered · mollycoddled · cosseted · infantilized · hand-held · spoiled · overparented · smothered · nannied · cushioned
dependent
Requiring outside support
- reliantRequiring external support
- helplessUnable to act independently
- unquestioningAccepting without challenge
compliant · docile · submissive · uncritical · receptive · accepting · obedient · acquiescent · unthinking · incurious
predigested
Partially digested already
- dumbed-downMade less intellectually demanding
- oversimplifiedMade misleadingly basic
- easyRequiring minimal effort
effortless · unchallenging · bite-sized · broken-down · regurgitated · summarized · condensed · filtered · curated · packaged
guided
Led with assistance
lectured · told · drilled · trained · informed · directed · led · mentored · prompted · scripted
spoon-fedself-taught
Educated without instructors
autodidactic · independent · self-directed · self-educated · self-reliant
spoon-fedself-reliant
Able to provide independently
independent · self-sufficient · autonomous · self-supporting · fending for oneself
spoon-fedhardened
Made tough or unfeeling
battle-tested · trial by fire · school of hard knocks · tough love · baptism by fire
feed, spoon, fed, feeding, teaspoon, feeder, spoons, tablespoon, feeds