indulge

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb indulge contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of indulge are baby, humor, mollycoddle, pamper, and spoil. While all these words mean "to show undue favor to a person's desires and feelings," indulge implies excessive compliance and weakness in gratifying another's or one's own desires.

indulged myself with food at the slightest excuse

Where would baby be a reasonable alternative to indulge?

While in some cases nearly identical to indulge, baby suggests excessive care, attention, or solicitude.

babying students by grading too easily

When could humor be used to replace indulge?

The words humor and indulge can be used in similar contexts, but humor stresses a yielding to a person's moods or whims.

humored him by letting him tell the story

When would mollycoddle be a good substitute for indulge?

While the synonyms mollycoddle and indulge are close in meaning, mollycoddle suggests an excessive degree of care and attention to another's health or welfare.

refused to mollycoddle her malingering son

When is it sensible to use pamper instead of indulge?

The words pamper and indulge are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, pamper implies inordinate gratification of desire for luxury and comfort with consequent enervating effect.

pampered by the amenities of modern living

When can spoil be used instead of indulge?

In some situations, the words spoil and indulge are roughly equivalent. However, spoil stresses the injurious effects on character by indulging or pampering.

foolish parents spoil their children

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of indulge In a 2018 interview with Stereogum, after announcing their disbandment, Minus the Bear elaborated on their decision to call it quits at the time, citing an uptick in life events, spending time with their families, facing differing creative attitudes, and indulging the possibility of new paths. Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 4 Mar. 2025 As Jaclyn tries to encourage (mock?) divorcee Laurie into having a fling at the resort with one of the staff members, Laurie is visibly torn between indulging her own desires and proving her friends’ pity to be misplaced. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 3 Mar. 2025 In America, self-control is framed as a personal choice — a way to get in shape or prove mental toughness before indulging again. Julie Cobalt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2025 Here’s how Virgin Voyages’ bet on wellness pays off for travelers who want to indulge and stay active. Josh Rivera, USA TODAY, 24 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for indulge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for indulge
Verb
  • She was especially gratified while working in Pisgah, the first national forest created from private lands purchased under the Weeks Act, which was signed in 1911, to protect watersheds and coördinate fire protection in the eastern United States.
    Peter Slevin, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2025
  • The production of such a fun and poignant piece is gratifying.
    David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Eight others have had their certifications temporarily suspended, and three officers voluntarily surrendered their licenses.
    Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2025
  • On Thursday, Ehrlich surrendered himself to authorities at the Lakewood Township Police headquarters before being transported to Ocean County Jail, where he’s currently being held, according to prosecutor Bradley Billhimer.
    Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Dodge won't spoil the surprise by confirming if the last one will be based on the Charger or the Challenger (or maybe both), but the evidence suggests the latter is more likely.
    Jack Fitzgerald, Car and Driver, 13 Feb. 2023
  • Farmers’ broiler chickens suffocate, and dairy products spoil.
    Monica Mark, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Feb. 2023
Verb
  • Right here, inches from our noses, are observations, memories, and relationships—people to please—that can generate the kind of richness that Brainard brings to his work.
    David S. Wallace, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2025
  • My dad was going to engineering school at Columbia [to please] his father.
    Eric Ryan, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The decision, however, has been the subject of apparent criticism from SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump, who have claimed Williams and Wilmore were abandoned by the Biden administration.
    Jackie Wattles, CNN, 18 Mar. 2025
  • The mission drew political attention when Trump and Musk vowed to speed up the astronauts' return and accused former president Joe Biden's administration of abandoning the astronauts.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • After recovering from Hurricane Helene, the opulent, castle-like inn is back to pampering guests at every turn.
    Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Despite the luxury and pampering the resort has to offer, the true highlight of Platte Island is the Indian Ocean itself.
    Jason Chau, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • But a missing pearl earring sends her down a conspiracy rabbit hole, which is only made deeper by her shop-teacher co-worker Dave Delgado (Gael García Bernal), who has eyes for her, humoring her every whim.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Macron and Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain came to Washington, humoring Trump.
    Maureen Dowd, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • This is a cop novel that fully satisfies its genre expectations — chases, gun battles, sinister bad guys, questionable cops, cowards and heroes.
    Claude Peck, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Maserati GranTurismo Folgore: Still A Practical Grand Tourer The main reason for the weight of these Folgore cars is their batteries, which have been made big enough to satisfy the grand touring implied by the name.
    James Morris, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Indulge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indulge. Accessed 29 Mar. 2025.

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