Indulge — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /in-ˈdəlj/ in·dulge

Meaning & Definition of Indulge

Indulge (verb)

  1. to yield to the desire of, humor
  2. to treat with excessive leniency, generosity, or consideration
  3. to give free rein to

Indulge (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to give in to (a desire)

    "the grandparents indulged the child's wishes to an extent that they never did with their own children"

    similar: cater (to), gratify, humor
    related: bask, luxuriate, revel, wallow, coddle, mollycoddle, pamper, spoil, delight, please, pleasure, sate, satiate, satisfy
    near: bridle, check, constrain, curb, inhibit, restrain, stifle

  2. to give (oneself) over to something especially unrestrainedly

    "conventioneers who were obviously eager to indulge themselves in all of the vices that Las Vegas might offer"

    similar: abandon, deliver, give up, surrender, yield
    related: overdo, overindulge, bask, luxuriate, revel, roll, wallow
    opposite: deny
    near: abstain (from), eschew, forbear, forgo, refrain (from), check, inhibit, restrain

  3. to treat with great or excessive care

    "you indulge those grandkids in ways you never did with your own kids"

    similar: baby, cocker, coddle, cosset, dandle, mollycoddle, nurse, pamper, spoil, wet-nurse
    related: cater (to), humor, content, delight, gladden, gratify, mother, oblige, please, satisfy, appease, mollify, pacify, placate, soothe
    opposite: abuse, ill-treat, ill-use, maltreat, manhandle, mishandle, mistreat, misuse
    near: control, discipline, restrain, oppress, neglect, overlook, slight, molest, outrage, violate, harass, harm, hurt, injure, persecute, torment, torture, victimize

Related Entry: Indulge (in) (verb)

Indulge (in) is a different word from Indulge. The synonyms below are for indulge (in), not for indulge.

  1. as in wallow (in), luxuriate (in)

    similar: luxuriate (in), wallow (in), cotton (to), favor, prefer, dote (on), idolize, devour, drink (in), eat (up), feast (on), prize, treasure, value, admire, appreciate, cherish, revere, venerate, worship, adore, delight (in), dig, enjoy, fancy, get off (on), groove (on), like, love, rejoice (in), relish, revel (in), savor
    opposite: abhor, abominate, detest, dislike, hate, loathe, condemn, despise, scorn

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Indulge

The most common words with a similar meaning to Indulge:

cater (to), gratify, humor, abandon, deliver, give up, surrender, yield, baby, cocker, coddle, cosset, dandle, mollycoddle, nurse, pamper, spoil, wet-nurse

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Indulge

Words with the opposite meaning of Indulge:

deny, abuse, ill-treat, ill-use, maltreat, manhandle, mishandle, mistreat, misuse

Related Words for Indulge

bask, luxuriate, revel, wallow, delight, please, pleasure, sate, satiate, satisfy, overdo, overindulge, roll, content, gladden, mother, oblige, appease, mollify, pacify, placate, soothe

Near Antonyms of Indulge

bridle, check, constrain, curb, inhibit, restrain, stifle, abstain (from), eschew, forbear, forgo, refrain (from), control, discipline, oppress, neglect, overlook, slight, molest, outrage, violate, harass, harm, hurt, injure, persecute, torment, torture, victimize

Word Forms of Indulge

Inflections: indulged, indulging

Derived words: indulger (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Indulge

Latin indulgēre to be complaisant

First known use: circa 1623t

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Indulge

Words & Phrases Containing Indulge

indulge in

Frequently Asked Questions about Indulge

What does "Indulge" mean?

"Indulge" means to yield to the desire of, humor. As a verb, it is defined as: to yield to the desire of, humor. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Indulge"?

Other words for "Indulge" include cater (to), gratify, humor, abandon, deliver, give up, surrender and yield. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Indulge" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Indulge"?

There are 40 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Indulge". Common alternatives include cater (to), gratify, humor, abandon, deliver, give up, surrender, yield, baby and cocker.

What is the opposite of "Indulge"?

Antonyms of "Indulge" include deny, abuse, ill-treat, ill-use, maltreat, manhandle, mishandle and mistreat. Near antonyms include bridle, check, constrain and curb.

How do you use "Indulge" in a sentence?

Examples of "Indulge" in a sentence: "the grandparents indulged the child's wishes to an extent that they never did with their own children"; "conventioneers who were obviously eager to indulge themselves in all of the vices that Las Vegas might offer"; "you indulge those grandkids in ways you never did with your own kids".

Is "Indulge" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Indulge" is a verb.

Is "Indulge" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Indulge" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Indulge"?

"Indulge" is pronounced /in-ˈdəlj/ and divided into syllables as in·dulge.