indulge
Americanverb (used without object)
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indulges,
present (3rd person singular)
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indulged,
past participle, past
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indulging
present participle
verb (used with object)
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indulges,
present (3rd person singular)
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indulged,
past participle, past
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indulging
present participle
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to yield to, satisfy, or gratify (desires, feelings, etc.).
to indulge one's appetite for sweets.
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to yield to the wishes or whims of; be lenient or permissive with.
to indulge a child.
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to allow (oneself ) to follow one's will (usually followed byin ).
to indulge oneself in reckless spending.
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Commerce. to grant an extension of time, for payment or performance, to (a person, company, etc.) or on (a bill, note, etc.).
verb
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to yield to or gratify (a whim or desire for)
to indulge a desire for new clothes
to indulge in new clothes
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(tr) to yield to the wishes of; pamper
to indulge a child
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(tr) to allow oneself the pleasure of something
at Christmas he liked to indulge himself
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(tr) commerce to allow (a debtor) an extension of time for payment of (a bill, etc)
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informal (intr) to take alcoholic drink, esp to excess
Synonym Usage
See humor.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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indulgernoun
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reindulgeverb
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preindulgeverb (used with object)
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quasi-indulgedadjective
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unindulgedadjective
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indulginglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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indulgesimple
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indulgessimple
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have indulgedperfect
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has indulgedperfect
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am indulgingprogressive
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are indulgingprogressive
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is indulgingprogressive
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have been indulgingperfect progressive
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has been indulgingperfect progressive
Past
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indulgedsimple
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had indulgedperfect
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was indulgingprogressive
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were indulgingprogressive
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had been indulgingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of indulge
First recorded in 1630–40; from Latin indulgēre “to be lenient toward, to accede, to take pleasure in”
Explanation
Indulge is a verb that means "to give in to something," like when you indulge your craving for chocolate by eating a big piece of it. The original meaning of indulge is "to treat with unearned favor." That's why it doesn't mean the same as reward. Instead, when you indulge, you enjoy or take part in something just because you want to — like indulging in a celebrity gossip magazine: you know you should be doing something more constructive, but you don't care. When you indulge someone else, you go along with whatever they want to do.
Vocabulary lists containing indulge
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 12–15
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Starting Your New Life: Inspiring Words from Commencement Speeches
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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
If he does make it to Chiclayo, the pope will be able to indulge his famously sweet tooth with an array of goodies fashioned in his likeness.
From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026
Go for drinks and oysters with friends, or indulge as an appetizer before settling in for dinner.
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
But for now, tourists to the Central Coast can still indulge in the surf-infused city’s retro, family-friendly vibe.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
The younger players indulge in playful kick-ups as he watches, engaged in conversation with a member of staff.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
Though she had refused to indulge them, she knew, even then, what the correct response was.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
Mr. Sepinwall even indulges in a reference to Hitler.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
At times, the author indulges in the use of medical and scientific jargon likely to leave general readers behind.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
German director Ilker Catak's film "Yellow Letters", which is in official competition, also indulges in some location-switching, but for a slightly different reason.
From Barron's ● Feb. 15, 2026
"If a party worker indulges in hate speech or a hate crime, the ruling party may not sanction prosecution. Under this law, the government cannot intervene," the official said.
From BBC ● Jan. 6, 2026
The idea is so appealing that she briefly indulges in one of those fantasies that momentarily feels real.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
The machine patted me on the head by noting that I had avoided words like profound and tapestry and only once indulged in telling all of you “Here’s the thing.”
From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026
Growing up in a small Southwestern town as an only child, Erika’s summers were neither good nor bad, neither deprived nor indulged.
From Salon ● Jun. 24, 2026
It’s where I watched Barack Obama get elected twice, the Lakers win back-to-back championships, and where I indulged in countless night caps and an unreasonable amount of all-you-can-eat split pea soup.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2026
Andrew was a royal prince, who everyone I spoke to said was both entitled and indulged.
From BBC ● Feb. 22, 2026
Jane,’ indeed!—You will observe that I have not yet indulged myself in calling her by that name, even to you.
From "Emma" by Jane Austen
You’re also indulging in way too much intrigue.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026
A lot of athletes dream of rolling back the years but discover the reality of proving they can still compete - and not simply indulging in a nostalgia trip - is a different matter.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
At least 30 officials were cited for indulging in “vulgar tastes.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026
Other senators were less interested in indulging me.
From Slate ● Jun. 5, 2026
If you think I am indulging in fantasy about the trip, how can you explain that Charley knew it was over too?
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
